Concerns of intimidation have emerged among staff members at the University of the South Pacific (USP) amid a strike aimed at ousting Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia. Reuben Colata, the general secretary of the USP Staff Union, reported that since the strike began last Friday, staff have faced intimidation tactics from the university, including emails threatening that striking employees would not receive pay, which contradicts their employment contracts.
Colata noted that over 200 staff members, including lab technicians, administrative personnel, cleaning staff, managers, teaching assistants, and lecturers, have rallied in support of the movement to remove Mr. Ahluwalia.
The union leader mentioned two incidents involving communications from the USP Book Centre instructing striking staff not to return to work until the strike concludes. He asserted that one of these cases has already been reported to the Ministry of Labour, which recognized it as intimidation, and two more cases would be reported shortly.
He emphasized that the strike was legally conducted in accordance with the Employment Relations Act (ERA), which takes precedence over employment contracts. While staff received an email from the university acknowledging their right to strike, Colata expressed disappointment that this message did not arrive sooner, suggesting that more employees might have participated if they had felt less intimidated.
With exams approaching, he stressed the importance of minimizing disruptions while reiterating that the primary goal is to have the Vice Chancellor removed. Colata also criticized the delay in investigating the Vice Chancellor’s actions, noting that the terms of reference have yet to be established.
He indicated that the university has sufficient financial resources to potentially buy out the Vice Chancellor if needed and affirmed that the strike would persist until the university addresses the staff’s concerns. The emphasis remains on resolving longstanding issues for the betterment of the university rather than for personal interests.
As of now, inquiries sent to USP have gone unanswered as this article was being completed.