Hundreds of staff and students at the University of the South Pacific participated in a strike, protesting against what they describe as ongoing poor leadership at the institution. The Association of the USP Staff and the USP Staff Union voiced their discontent following the recent results of a Special Council meeting. They argue that serious grievances were misrepresented as mere HR issues to be examined, rather than addressing concerns regarding the university’s Vice Chancellor, Pal Ahluwalia.
Participants donned black and white clothing as they gathered on campus to show solidarity for the strike, which stemmed from a secret ballot taken in August regarding the removal of Vice Chancellor Ahluwalia.
Rosie Fatiaki, President of the Association of the USP Staff, expressed dissatisfaction with the response from the Special Council meeting, stating, “Collectively the members of the USP Staff with the Union unanimously agreed to go on strike today. We hope the Council resolves the matter.”
Fatiaki emphasized that the unions firmly believe Ahluwalia should be removed from his position, arguing that credible investigations cannot occur while he remains in charge. The staff find it intolerable for someone under investigation for leadership failures to continue serving in their role, citing this as a significant governance issue.
The unions expressed concern over the lack of progress on investigations related to the Vice Chancellor’s management, highlighting that nearly four weeks had passed since the last Council meeting without any advancements. The outcome of the Council meeting is anticipated next month, with hopes of addressing these pressing issues.
According to the unions, they have raised concerns for several months regarding Ahluwalia’s leadership and presented an independent report on his performance to the Council in November of the previous year.
Despite patiently awaiting action from the Special Council, the unions found the Secretariat’s response vague and not indicative of the central problem—the Vice Chancellor’s detrimental leadership.
Fatiaki noted, “Strike is an industrial action and a process was followed. We secured the mandate to strike, leading to nearly 200 staff members participating today.” The unions condemned the delays in the investigation process, claiming it appears to be deliberately hindered as the deadline for presenting the report to the November 2024 Council meeting approaches.
In response, the University acknowledged that Fiji-based staff from the two unions are on strike, stating that the issue at hand falls outside their collective contracts and conditions of employment. The University reiterated that supporting their students remains their top priority during this time.