4 Aug 2005

Tongan strikers plan another protest march

3:33 pm on 4 August 2005

The Interim Public Servants Association in Tonga is planning another march on parliament if an agreement is not reached with the government soon.

Nearly 3-thousand workers have been on striking for almost two weeks in protest at a hefty payrise for senior public servants and calling for raises of their own.

The two groups met this morning in a bid to settle a strike without success.

The Secretary of the Interim PSA, Vuna Fa'otusia, says the two sides remain at odds but they are working hard to come to a compromise.

Mr Fa'otusia says another meeting tonight between the government and PSA is unsuccessful the striking workers will march again.

"Now we are setting up a march to His Majesty on Monday to present our appeal. Hopefully it won't come that far, that's why we have to push this negotiation tonight and even tomorrow."

The Secretary of the Interim PSA, Vuna Fa'otusia