4 Jan 2018

ATS workers want Fiji govt to do more mediation

1:01 pm on 4 January 2018

Staff at Fiji's Air Terminal Services are calling on the government to restart informal mediation talks resolve the nearly three week long impasse.

On Wednesday the government said its mediation efforts had failed and the workers involved remain suspended.

More than 200 of the company's staff have been off work since December the 16th, saying they were locked out for attending a meeting but ATS said the gathering amounted to illegal strike action.

Fiji's Ministry of Employment said despite its exhaustive efforts to mediate between Air Terminal Services and employees who participated in an unlawful strike, no resolution had been reached.

The firm provides baggage, catering and engineering services at the airport in Nadi.

ATS Employees Trust Secretary Vili Finau said all mediation avenues have not been exhausted.

"So we are reverting back to the Ministry of Employment, telling them that the process was not fully exhausted. We would like them to revisit and reconvene the mediation process."

"We are calling on a particular person to mediate. We feel that he will do a better job. We've provided some solutions. We're pressing on with the mediation process from our side. We are asking them to reconvene this," he said.

Nadi International Airport, Fiji

Nadi International Airport, Fiji Photo: RNZI/Sally Round

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