Workers demand $1 per hr
FIJI dockworkers planned to ask for a basic pay of $1 an hour before meeting with shipping companies to negotiate a new payment agreement in August, 1973. This was published in
on February 14, 1973.
The article stated the then general secretary of Fiji Dockworkers and Seamen’s union, Taniela Veitata, was making the union’s demands early to warn the companies and the government.
“I want to make this a clean fight,” he said.
“I am not hiding anything.”
The dockworkers went on strike in April of 1971 when the shipping companies did not pay them 62 cents an hour.
They returned to work a month later after prime minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara conciliated at an emergency meeting between the union and companies, and decided on a basic pay of 46 cents an hour.
The union finally settled for 46c an hour basic pay for its regular workers, who were guaranteed 40 hours pay a week and 50c for its casual workers.
Mr Veitata said when his union went on strike in 1971, it was not to show its strength.
“We went on strike to show that we had a legitimate case,” he said.
“We were being underpaid and the companies knew that.
“We had already made up our minds at the time but we had to give room to compromise.”
Mr Veitata said the union was asking for $1 an hour because statistics showed the cost of living had risen by more than 10 per cent since the last pay agreement with the shipping companies.
“The other unions can make a claim for more pay after us but I think they should have a good case to present to respective employers.
“This has been going on for too long. It is always the man on the street that suffers. Any wage increase is always passed on to him.”