The University of the South Pacific (USP) is planning to pursue legal action against the decisions made by the Permanent Secretary of Employment, Productivity, and Workplace Relations regarding the recent strike by both USP Unions.
In an email confirmed by FijiLive, USP has informed staff participating in the strike that they will not receive payment for the duration of their protest. The university stated, “Staff who are members of either of the two unions and do not report to work or adhere to their regular office hours, without prior-approved leave, will be considered to be on strike.”
Moreover, USP indicated that except for verified emergencies, leave applications will not be accepted due to the severe impact the strike has had on university operations. The university maintains that the core issue lies outside the purview of their collective contracts and employment conditions.
USP emphasized, “At this time, support for our students remains our utmost priority, and the University will make efforts to minimize disruptions to services.” FijiLive has reached out to the Ministry of Employment for additional comments.