your views

‘A good newspaper is a nation talking to itself’

Outside ATS interference Tukai Lagonilakeba, Namaka

The impasse from what is happening now in the standoff is an internal matter between; Air Terminal Services (Fiji) Ltd, a fully owned Fiji registered Commercial Company with a worker or employee participation shareholding of 49 per cent and the balance of which 51 per cent shares, is owned by Government. Air Terminal Services Employees Trust (ATSET)ATS Employees Trust, the employees 49 per cent shares is held under this Trust with Manasa Ratuvili as President, Federated Airlines Staff Association who make up the majority of the employees of ATS, but not all subscribe to it as members, and Viliame Finau is the secretary. But in talking to older ATS employees they all concur that it has taken almost 11 years of negotiation to get to where they are to date. Employees of ATS and members of both FASA and ATSET should be asking themselves this one very important question; what are the qualifications of the office bearers and why they were unable to find an amicable solution over the past 11 years?

They realistically should be venting their frustrations on work related issues on them and not the current acting CEO Harold Mani. Realistically the acting CEO, his current Management team and the new ATS Board inherited all these industrial work related issues and it is not fair and unwarranted to call for his removal.

Very quickly entering the foray are the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) President Dan Urai and its General Secretary Felix Anthony with them followed by the Confederation of Public Sector Unions General Secretary Rajeshwar Singh, NGO Coalition on Human Rights head Shamima Ali, FCTU-Fiji Council of TradeUnions General Secretary Attar Singh and not to mention the failed Fiji Labour Party politician and General Secretary of the National Farmers Union Mahendra Pal Chaudhry.

Do these fellas genuinely care about the welfare of these striking workers or is this merely for them to grab hold of the golden opportunity to advertise themselves and be in the limelight free through our various Fijian media outlets? But again I ask; where were they the past 11 years or did they just wake up from a deep slumber and have just learnt of these industrial issues at ATS.

They at ATS do not realistically require some Fijian Union middleman to come in and meddle in their internal affairs and industrial dispute which is a personal matter between an Employer and its Employees in their quest to finding a lasting long term solution.

Stop stoking the fire, outside influence must stop, bullying tactics from these union stalwarts and interference is unwarranted. Please allow them the opportunity to negotiate in good faith as that is their work place, they know what is best for them.

Unionist Rights Amenatave Yaconisau, Delainavesi

There is a general deception that unions are being curtailed and restrained.

Far from it, it is a national problem and all parties are expected to exercise good faith, collective bargaining which has not been the case from workers after the return to work offer.

It is interesting to note that the illegal act has impacted ground handling services but there seems to be hidden pressures on collective bargaining restraining the parties towards genuine collective bargaining. We hope for the best towards the stand-off and not lip service only now that the Labour Management Cooperation Consultation (LMCC) is in place.

Agriculture Questions E T Smith, Davuilevu

Is it true that the Agriculture Permanent Secretary was coerced into resigning because some people within the Ministry were not happy with him implementing the Open Merit Recruitment System?

From what we hear even the Minister has allowed this to happen and is in favour of maintaining status quo instead of hiring best young graduates.

If this is true, this is a huge blow to building a better Fiji, forward.

Street Sweeping Machines Narayan Reddy, Lautoka

Good to see our city and town councils move with technology and introduce street sweeping machines. I would like to thank Minister for Local Government, Housing and Environment, Infrastructure and Transport Praveen Bala for the vision he has for all towns. You move all town and city council two steps forward every year.

The people of Lautoka are grateful to Mr Bala and the city council for doing a wonderful job in moving Lautoka forward.

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