Hundreds of staff and students at the University of the South Pacific gathered to support a strike protesting alleged poor leadership at the institution. The Association of the USP Staff and the USP Staff Union expressed significant discontent with the outcome of a recent Special Council meeting, claiming it mischaracterized serious grievances as simple HR issues to be investigated, rather than addressing concerns regarding Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia.
Participants donned black and white attire at the university to join the strike, which follows a secret ballot conducted in August that called for the removal of Vice Chancellor Ahluwalia. Rosie Fatiaki, President of the Association of the USP Staff, stated that the unions were dissatisfied with the Special Council’s response, emphasizing the unanimous decision to strike.
Fatiaki highlighted that the unions firmly believe Ahluwalia should be removed from his position, as a credible investigation cannot occur while he remains in control. They deemed it unacceptable for an individual under investigation for leadership failures to continue holding power, labeling the situation as a serious governance failure.
The unions have been raising concerns about the Vice Chancellor’s management for several months, which were documented in an independent performance report submitted to the Council in November of the previous year. They criticized the lack of progress in investigations and noted that the next Council meeting is scheduled for next month, with hopes for developments.
The unions argue that the delayed investigation process appears to be intentionally prolonged, undermining their efforts to address the issues at hand.
In response, the University management acknowledged the strike by Fiji-based staff from the two unions, asserting that the issue in question falls outside of their respective collective contracts and employment conditions. They affirmed that supporting students remains their top priority during this period.