Page 13 - IB August 2024

Industrial Action Industrial Action

individuals, detailing the effects on the lives of the strikers
beyond the loss of wages. Among the 1991 strikers was one
Sanmogen, whose familial life would take an unfortunate
turn due to his involvement in the union’s movement against
Emperor.
Sanmogen joined the fight after losing his finger in the
mine. When interviewed by Macdonald in 2003, he reported
that his financial hardships had caused him to lose touch with
his wife and two young sons.
These tales of woe revealed the reasons behind the strikers’
resolve regardless of consequence. Former underground mine
worker, Misake Tahaka told Macdonald of Emperor’s treatment
of him and fellow workers. “I worked with no mask and
breathed fumes – including fumes from dynamiting,” Tahaka
reportedly said. Strikers picketing in front of Vatukoula Gold Mines for their 13th year. Photo: Ingrid
Macdonald/Oxfam CAA 2004 Mining Ombudsman Case Report
“In 1981, I blacked out from the fumes and ended up in
hospital. I didn’t regain consciousness until I was in the
hospital. The doctor said I could no longer go underground. until about the mid-1980s - loud and ever-present in the fight
The company sent me back underground – I told them that to uphold worker rights and ensure worker representation in
the doctor said I shouldn’t go but the company didn’t care. I decisions that affected their livelihoods.
worked for ten more years underground.” Over the following three decades, however, the power of
Macdonald’s report also exposed instances of hefty pay unions has been in decline, said Naidu. There were fewer
deductions for the provision of necessary equipment for strikes in the 2000s, not due to a lack of cause but a changing
workers. Tahaka told the Mining Ombudsman that he was paid culture around the acceptability of rebellion and the use of
FJ$1.50 (US$0.75) an hour, working seven days a week in the fear tactics to stifle the union movement by those in power,
mine prior to the 1991 strike. According to the report, he he said.
alleged that he only received FJ$40 (US$20) a week after tax A paper by Naidu published in the 2009 book, The 2006
because Emperor deducted the cost of his helmet, gloves and Military Takeover in Fiji: A Coup to End All Coups? outlined
boots from his salary. The accusation of salary deductions for the part played by Fiji’s last coup in the downfall of unions.
safety equipment was corroborated by other staff members Military harassment of union leaders and activists, the near
at the time but no word was received from Emperor to either endless list of industries deemed ‘essential’ complicating their
confirm or deny the allegations. ability to mobilise strike action, the racialisation of unions
Fiji’s Health and Safety at Work Act of 1996 and later the leading to splits from within, all played into the overarching
Health and Safety at Work (General Workplace Conditions) story of the apparent death of the strike culture and of unions
Regulations of 2003 finally established that it would be the during the reign of the previous government, according to
responsibility of an employer to provide personal protective several academics and unionists of the time.
equipment and clothing of approved standards to workers “When we talk about the right to strike,” current FTUC
without any cost to the workers. But in 1991 and prior, such National Secretary, Felix Anthony says, “I know there is a
occurrences could not be held against the company, nor did generation of workers now that have never actually witnessed
the company take responsibility for such safety provisions. a strike, and that was only because these rights were being
Deputy Secretary of the Fiji Trade Union Congress (FTUC) denied by the previous government. While the Constitution
in 2003, Rajeshwar Singh, described the state of industrial gave us all the rights, the previous government did not allow
relations at Vatukoula as “unhealthy”. He advised Macdonald the exercise of these rights.”
that the Congress considered Emperor management to “have While the previous FijiFirst government made several
a record of bad-faith bargaining – by behaving unfairly and assurances that the Vatukoula strikers would receive
frustrating the current [union] and workers through delay compensation, Anthony says it was all “empty promises”.
tactics”. “No amount of compensation is ever going to be enough
It was claimed that this led to the Union being seen as to account for the suffering that the workers have had to
“undermined and weakened” by its members. go through,” Anthony said. “But we had to arrive at a figure
Although the strike actively continued throughout the 33 considering we did not want this delayed further and being
years, the picketing became less and less frequent. The strike considerate of what the government could afford.”
continued mainly through union meetings. With the resolution of the Vatukoula strike and the living
history lesson it provides, a new generation of union voices
The decline of unions may soon be ready to push change and break through new
Speaking to Islands Business, veteran Fijian academic in the barriers for further improvements in the protection of
field of Development Studies, Professor Vijay Naidu observed workers’ rights.
that unions had retained a level of respect and power in Fiji

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