Concerns of intimidation have emerged among staff members at the University of the South Pacific (USP) following a strike aimed at suspending Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia. Reuben Colata, general secretary of the USP Staff Union, reported that staff have faced intimidation since last Friday, citing emails threatening that striking staff would not receive pay, which contradicts their employment contracts.
Colata stated that the strike has been impactful, with over 200 staff members, including lab technicians, administrators, support staff, cleaners, managers, teaching assistants, and lecturers, rallying behind the call for Mr. Ahluwalia’s removal. He noted that two cases concerning striking staff from the USP Book Centre had instructed them not to return to work until the strike concludes.
“We currently have about three cases, two from the book centre,” he said. “We have raised one with the Ministry of Labour, and they acknowledged it as intimidation, with two more cases being reported today.”
Colata emphasized that the strike complies with the Employment Relations Act (ERA), which ought to take priority over the employment contracts. He mentioned that staff received an email from the university affirming their right to strike but expressed frustration over the timeliness of this communication, which could have encouraged greater participation in the strike.
“If they had communicated this before the strike began, many more people would have walked off their jobs on Friday since many felt intimidated by these tactics,” he said. “With exams approaching, we want to avoid disruption. Still, the message is clear: they want the removal of the VC.”
He also expressed concern over the slow pace of the investigation into the Vice Chancellor’s actions, noting that the terms of reference have yet to be established. Colata pointed out that the university is financially capable of compensating the Vice Chancellor if necessary and stated that the strike would persist until the university addresses the ongoing issues.
He reiterated that the strike aims to resolve long-standing problems within the university and to enhance conditions for all, rather than serving personal interests. Questions directed to USP remained unanswered at the time of reporting.