Round Of
p. 22 · Read in the full issue
Splinter Union Trouble
Fiji Has A
Strikes
Industrial relations in didn’t look bright in ex May. The colony has 6 having a round of strikes, ( in addition, the formation “splinter unions”, some at racial basis, have been co ing concern.
IT was inevitable that wag* won by section of the Fij: Industry last year would re similar demands from other Thus, came the demands an the strike of oil distribution t in December (which touched Suva riots).
In March, work came to on the big Lautoka wharf Following the dismissal of workers, the Building V Union called its men out a: took the opportunity to den wage rise. Large numbers o:< were moved to Lautoka bui was no violence.
An interim agreement toi to work pending negotiatic made and the men resun March 17. But trouble de again, and on April 5 the again struck.
Breakaways
Meanwhile a breakaway ue registered in the name of F.' Workers’ Union, mainly thot organisation of a Fijian e» men named Jioji Sugutui little earlier he had formed splinter union, the Municipal; Workers’ Union, a the Fiji Municipal Workers Many dock workers belon the wharf workers’ splinteE remained on the job, ano joined them, with the res? the original union—suppoc other Fijian union leaders —p to the Government abo formation of splinter unioc They protested that by reE them the Government was the bargaining powers of Fi' ers. The Government repll it had no power to prevenu tion of such associations.
Following this, some oil J at Vuda Point went out. sympathy strike, and somr employed by Morris H struck at Lautoka. These; soon collapsed, but mores was brewing elsewhere at c ginning of May, and further unions were being formed industries.
In a public statement on the Colonial Secretary, Mt Macdonald, said the Gox “does not encourage the frf isation of unions.”