Wage Increases

Fiji Oil Strikers Win Wage Increases

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NEW basic minimum wage was fixed at £4/11/4, compared with the figure of £3/11/- agreed to by employers following the strike of December, and £3/0/6 which was th e w age before the strike.

There were various other improved conditions, and the award was re trospectrve to October 24 last year.

It will remain in force until October this year.

As PIM went to press the Whole sale and Retail Workers’ Gensral Union-directed by the you n g James Anthony—had made no com ment on the new wage.

The union had applied for a new S inn U S ° f £6 + a we;k ’ an wage Cont ° n the P re " st rike gators (Mr. D. McFarlane £ n M Q r : Said Hassan, with Ratu K. me£o as J^ pir ?. m , case of . cl ear at the b> thonSS ?/ f ? e - in Q u ii'y that they their dut y t 0 see that IS om i y as a whole would not be adversely affected by th- ini th( ? y would not

As with the important sugar dustry hearing of last year (v the sugar workers were granted creases) the argument centred what should be considered y fixing a fair wage.

Fair Wage

Witness for the union, Dr. G Hemming, of the Bayly Clinic ] senting his own figures in detail a family of five children, said 1 he found, excluding clothing, ] sible bus fares, medical expe] and some other such items, allowing two meals a day, which considered probably adequate those not engaged in hard lab< a worker would require a sum £4/9/6 a week. This budget wa means test.

He did not think any reasons person could agree that the cour could stand 100 per cent, incre in wages.

The oil companies, in evidei said they were not pleading inabi to pay, but they had to keep line with the economic progress s ability to pay of the rest of Fij