Page 13 - IB FEB 2018

Cover Story

payments, which the workers Mani had earlier made vari-
expect yearly, was inconsis- ous attempts to stop work-
tent despite the company ers using the union office
making profits. to the extent that he even
While talks reached a dead- tried to evict FASA from the
lock, management filed an in- premises.
junction in court to verify that But the November court
the 16 December meeting ruling prevented that. Pres-
was illegal. The unions, on sure is also mounting for
the other hand, organised a board chair Riyaz Sayed-
march through Nadi town on Khaiyum to step down. The
the west coast of Fiji’s main workers and union officials
island attended by crowds are calling for his removal
exceeding 8,000. and so are some politicians.
Among the protestors In a press release, National
were politicians, members Federation Party leader Pro-
of the civil society and youth fessor Biman Prasad said the
groups, union leaders and Employment Minister Jone
their members, the ATS Usamate, Sayed -Khaiyum,
workers and their families the management of ATS
and traditional chiefs from a (meaning acting CEO Hare
few provinces. Mani and Richard Donald-
Protests were also held in son) together with the board
New Zealand and Australia members should all resign.
organised by workers unions. “This was deliberately
The issue had sparked ignored by the Minister, the
wide national and global board chairman and man-
interest. agement. They knew fully
Banners and placards were well that the management
quite revealing as people did had issued a directive to
not hold back any emotion. security officers to lock out
“Everybody here just had the workers who had gone
enough because 11 years to meet and take resolutions
we’ve been complaining and ATSET chairman JD Singh speaks to ATS workers after Tribunal Andrew See’s ruling regarding the operations of
nothing is being done,” said Photo: Supplied the company they co-own.
ATSET trustee and board director Manasa “The amount of breaches that’s oc- “Ignorance and defiance of the law is
Ratuvili. curring, these people have to go to jail inexcusable and they must do the right
“For them (ATS management) to lock because it’s a criminal offense under the thing and resign.”
out the owners of the company, to me is Air Navigation Regulation. Minister Usamate earlier declared the
very disrespectful.” “Putting the qualified workers out here hours the workers were away from their
The camped out shareholders remained who are trained to handle the jobs inside work station an unlawful act and labeled
united in their resolve despite the adversi- and replacing us with untrained, unquali- it a strike.
ties. They had not received any pay since fied workers is just a ticking time bomb.” Meanwhile, the FTUC is going ahead
Christmas that carried through to the end FASA has produced a report highlight- with plans to have another march in
of January. ing the breaches that will be presented at Suva on 24 February and have applied
“I’ve never seen them happier. Even next month seating of Fiji’s Parliament for a permit to the Fiji Police. Approval
though they are locked out and facing calling for a commission of inquiry in to for last month’s march in Nadi was given
hardships, they are free now. how the ATS management handled this two days before the event. Police have
“They are free from oppression, from incident, plus other issues the workers are also interrogated FTUC National Secretary
victimisation by this current manage- not happy about. Felix Anthony on comments he made
ment.” These include promotion of staff without pointing out government’s poor handling
Ratuvili, a qualified aircraft engineer, the sanction of union representatives, not of the matter. The union boss threatened
claimed serious breaches were taking enough time given for breaks during roster a national strike would loom if the matter
place at Nadi Airport when the locked out hours, standing down of staff without pay was not resolved.
workers that comprised 30 per cent of the for periods as long as 12 months and dis-
qualified workforce were absent. ciplinary panels making decisions without STOP PRESS
And that the breaches were tantamount any workers’ representatives. This magazine’s director, managing
to criminal offenses. FASA National Secretary Vilikesa Nau- director and a staff writer were taken in
The ATS management, he claimed hired lumatua told members that acting CEO for questioning by Fiji police on 11 Febru-
temporary, unskilled workers during the Hare Mani has a court date this month ary over an online story it ran about the
impasse and there were a few incidents for preventing union executives access- Employment Relations Tribunal. Police
reported on foreign and social media. ing their office during the 35-day lockout. investigations are continuing.

Islands Business, February 2018 13