Mine women: We’re not slaves
FEMALE employees at the Vatukoula gold mine received unwanted and apparently unwarranted attention in early 1980 by trade unionists claiming to be concerned for their welfare. The Fiji Times of February 18, 1980, reported that the women rejected claims that the Emperor Company was making them “work like slaves”.
Four of the women, aged 21 to 48, told The Fiji Times about claims made by two trade unionists, Fred Caine and Fijian Association vice-president Apisai Tora, at an Alliance national council meeting the weekend prior.
Mr Caine and Mr Tora alleged the company was exploiting women workers and victimising men it had sacked two years prior by refusing to re-employ them if they had a record of being involved in strikes.
The women instead told reporters that the mine had, in fact, employed seven women since July of 1979 working on a conveyor belt picking out bad stones.
They added that they had an “easy” job in a shed above ground and it helped their families make ends meet. They said they were “happy” to have the job to add to their family earnings.
A 48-year-old mother of five, Lusiana Seru said with two children attending primary school and one at high school she needed the extra money to pay the bills.
The National Union of Mineworkers expressed disappointment at the allegations by Mr Caine and Mr Tora.
“It’s not like that at all,” said union secretary Ione Selaitoga.
“The point is that they are working only to help their families.”
The women were paid 73c an hour, the same rate as their husbands, he said.
The chairman and managing director of Emperor Gold Mines, Jeffery Reid, described the allegations of labour exploitation as “totally incorrect”.
“We will very much welcome an inquiry,” he said.
No women worked underground at Vatukoula at this time and those employed on sorting ore earned an average of $57.24 a week, for a 40-hour week, which was a lot more than Mr Caine had claimed and was, at the time, a fair wage.