Teachers' unions to meet to consider national strike action - Manumanunitoga

The Fijian Teachers Association and Fiji Teachers Union will have a meeting tomorrow to consider national strike action.

This has been highlighted by FTA General Secretary, Paula Manumanunitoga after being asked by fijivillage News about his comments regarding the changes gazetted to salaries, allowances and benefits for the President, Speaker, Leader of the Opposition, and members of cabinet and parliament.

Manumanunitoga says the association thinks it was misleading from the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka to say that there will be proper public consultations and assessment on the ability to pay before any considered raise.

He says they have been making numerous submissions to the government through the Ministry of Education requesting the pay rise for all teachers, especially assistant teachers since last year when the Coalition Government was formed.

He further says the salaries of 80 percent of teachers in the country is below $30,000.

He says the whole country and the world know the reason why teachers are leaving because the pay is not enough.

The FTA General Secretary says they have been trying with the Ministry of Education to hold teachers back but they can’t do much about it.

He further says how stupid is the action by the government as despite all the issues being raised by various stakeholders, they still voted for a pay rise for a few including the President.