The Fijian Teachers Association has voiced strong support for the demand to localize the position of vice chancellor at the University of the South Pacific (USP), according to general secretary Paula Manumanunitoga.
He reported that members of the association visited USP staff participating in a strike this week. “As a sister union, the Fijian Teachers Association went to visit the striking staff to offer our support,” he stated.
Manumanunitoga explained that they were informed about the issues the staff were addressing and engaged in negotiations with the council, emphasizing their solidarity with the strikers. “We believe that the vice chancellor’s position should be held by a local Pacific islander,” he stressed. He noted awareness of the staff’s challenges and reiterated support for their call to replace the current vice chancellor with a local candidate.
Additionally, he mentioned that FTA members have learned that the Prime Minister has recognized the staff union strike as legal and within their rights. According to him, the staff followed all necessary legal protocols before initiating the strike, and the Prime Minister has tasked the minister with investigating the matter and providing a report.
“We want to remind the public that we are the largest financial contributors to the University of the South Pacific, and it’s important for us to express our concerns,” Manumanunitoga added. “Despite having our own national university, many of us have been educated at USP, and we empathize with the staff’s current struggles.”
Leave a comment