The Fijian Teachers Association has expressed strong support for the push to localize the position of the Vice Chancellor at the University of the South Pacific (USP), according to General Secretary Paula Manumanunitoga. He mentioned that members of the association visited striking USP staff during their recent industrial action.
“As a sister union, the Fijian Teachers Association went to show support to the striking staff,” Manumanunitoga said. He noted that they were informed about the issues the staff were advocating for and mentioned negotiations with the university council, emphasizing the union’s backing for the staff’s position.
“We advocate for the localization of the Vice Chancellor’s role; it should be filled by a Pacific Islander,” he stated. “We understand their struggles and fully support their call for the current Vice Chancellor to be replaced by a local candidate.”
Manumanunitoga also mentioned that FTA members have been informed that the Prime Minister has deemed the staff’s union strike legal and within their rights. “They have adhered to all legal protocols necessary for a strike, and the Prime Minister has instructed the minister to investigate and report on the matter.”
“We want to emphasize that we contribute significantly to the finances of the University of the South Pacific, and thus we must express our concerns. Despite having our own national university, we all have connections to the University of the South Pacific and empathize with the issues raised by the staff,” he concluded.
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