26 Aug 2002

Fifteen unions have broken away from the Fiji Trade Union Congress

9:51 am on 26 August 2002

Fifteen unions have broken away from the Fiji Trade Union Congress to form a new umbrella body, the Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions.

The move follows the unions' disatissfaction with the TUC led by Senator Felix Anthony, which they see as too closely linked with the Labour Party.

The Council of Trade Unions is led by its president, Maika Namudu, of the Fijian Teachers Association and the general secretary is Attar Singh, of the Fiji Aviation Workers Association.

Mr Namudu says the new body is not politically motivated.

The Minister for Labour, Kenneth Zinck, has described the launch of the new trade union body as a breath of fresh air for workers in the country.

But the TUC Secretary General, Mr Anthony says the new trade union umbrella body is illegal