Vanuatu's National Workers Union says threats from the Vanuatu Mobile Force and police haven't deterred it from holding future strikes over an industrial dispute at the national carrier.
Air Vanuatu workers picketed outside domestic and international terminals yesterday morning in frustration at the lack of progress in their industrial dispute with the carrier, with workers calling for the reinstatement of 26 employees, most of whom were behind an August strike.
However, yesterday's strike action was cut short by the intervention of VMF and Police Force members.
The Union's general secretary, Ephraim Kalsakau, says workers were warned they would lose their jobs if they continued striking and were physically threatened in the process.
"It's a general trend in Vanuatu for police to come in and harass strikers and force them back to work, but it's the first time I have seen threats that have gone this far. So we are currently meeting to discuss actions and there was a unanimous agreement that a general strike should be called."
Ephraim Kalsakau
