The Association of USP Staff and the USP Staff Union have announced that an average of 95 percent of their members voted in favor of strike action aimed at removing Vice Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia.
This decision came after a secret ballot was conducted across various campuses in Fiji following the Ministry of Employment’s approval for a “Notice of Intention to Conduct Secret Ballot for Strike Action,” received the day before.
The unions are set to convene later this week to determine their next steps and establish a strike date.
One of the key grievances raised by the AUSPS is the alleged unfair dismissal of Dr. Tamara Osborne-Naikatini, the President of the Association, by Prof. Ahluwalia.
To initiate the strike, the unions required at least 50 percent of their members to vote in favor of the action.
General Secretary of AUSPS, Rosalia Fatiaki, criticized the Vice-Chancellor’s decision to terminate the association president, describing it as unjust and lacking due process.
“We have sent a letter to Council highlighting these concerns, as they are the ultimate decision-making body of the University and it rests in their hands,” Fatiaki stated.
USPSU President Reuben Colata expressed worries about staff morale and alleged that an increasing workload is detrimental to teaching and learning outcomes, noting a trend of staff departures from the university.
“The staff is not satisfied with the direction in which the leadership is taking the university, and over the past few years, we have seen a decline,” Colata commented.
This marks the first instance in the university’s history where staff union members have called for two strike actions within six months.