Anthony hits out at Fiji Airways

FIJI Airways is a company that tarnishes the reputation of employers in this country, says Fiji Trades Union Congress secretary general Felix Anthony.

He made the comments after the airline held a career expo in Suva last week.

“The expo is a public relations exercise. This has become necessary because management finds itself in a dilemma over the reinstatement of workers they so heartlessly terminated,” said Mr Anthony.

“This expo is to glamourise the airline and the aviation industry but behind this façade is the total crude violation of workers’ fundamental rights and the suffering of hundreds of families that were left without food on the table by the airline.”

He said workers who were terminated must be reinstated without delay on the same terms and conditions prior to termination.

“Management has been dragging their feet despite Government’s clear directive. Clearly, it has become very difficult for the management of Fiji Airways to eat humble pie and do the right thing.

“This is one company that tarnishes the reputation of employers in this country.

“They attempted to take advantage of the pandemic and crush the union and throw its Collective Agreement out the window and then hire new recruits at far inferior terms and conditions.

“The workers who were terminated must be reinstated. We understand that this is a difficult exercise but the simple answer is that those that create the problem are the ones primarily responsible to resolve them.

“Management of Fiji Airways has brought this upon themselves. They now cannot demand for understanding. They must take full responsibility for the situation they find themselves in.”

Questions sent to Fiji Airways yesterday remained unanswered.