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Issue No: 922; 7 July 2001
Union members of the Civil Aviation Authority are marking the 2nd anniversary of their historic strike today in Nadi. The strike was the country's major protest against the World Bank and the Rabuka Regime's attempt at structural adjustment. About 500 workers were to be sacked or laid off by the Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji when the regime had divided the Authority into 2 organisations. The workers set up what they called a Camp 500 at Nadi. The Camp and the strike has been billed as the "most significant trade union achievement in the South Pacific". The workers were all taken back when the People's Coalition Government came to power. In 1999 the People's Coalition had campaigned hard against structural adjustment and had promised to roll back the structural adjustment policies already implemented by the Rabuka regime. On coming to power, it had begun the process and had succeeded in introducing internal efficiency reforms in many corporate organizations. Today's anniversary
celebration is expected to be addressed by the elected Prime Minister and other
trade union officials. Chaudhry was the General Secretary of the Fiji Public
Service Association when the strike took place. The Civil Aviation branch of the
Association is led by Krishna Chetty. Chetty and 5 other top members of the
Airports Fiji Ltd have recently sacked by the Qarase regime appointed CEO of the
company. The Union has challenged the sacking, calling it politically motivated. |
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People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands |
