The Fiji Mineworkers Union is demanding better working conditions for miners underground, following two deaths in as many months at the Vatakoula Gold Mine.
In the latest incident, 22-year-old Sireli Masenawa died when a rockfall deep underground crushed him.
The union's general secretary, Satish Chandra, says the death occurred in very similar circumstances to those which killed 26-year-old Sharvin Prasad only last month.
He says the company that owns the mine, Emperor Gold Mining Limited, should be required to comply with standard occupational safety and health, or OSH regulations, but is currently exempted from doing so.
Mr Chandra says this needs to change because the supervision of workers is inadequate.
"We're firstly asking the Ministry of Labour to have a regular visit to the mine underground and inspect each working place and give the observation for the workers to work. And, secondly, we're asking for them to compensate the family once the member died, the employee died underground or anywhere in the mine."
Mr Chandra accepts that there is compensation in place but he says that it's insufficient and should be at least US$58,000.
The Labour Minister, Kenneth Zinck, says the company is bound by safety rules within the Mining Act but they will look at those to see if they are sufficient.
