25 Jun 2002

Fiji aviation strike not set to upset ACP meeting in Nadi

4:41 pm on 25 June 2002

The secretary of the Fiji Aviation Workers Association, Attar Singh, says a strike action by employees of Fiji's national airline, Air Pacific, is not aimed at the African Carribean and Pacific leaders summit to be held in Nadi next month.

Mr Singh says action for July the 12th was planned in April, and was not aimed at the ACP meeting.

"It is no more than a coincidence, we have come to the end of the road in so far as negotiations with Air Pacific, Fiji's National Airline is concerned, and having done that, having reached that point we have now served notices of strike action in accordance with our laws in Fiji, and we remain hopeful that between now and the 12th of July, that the airline and the government of Fiji which is the majority shareholder of the airline, will do whatever is necessary to bring us to the table and hopefully reach a settlement."

Meanwhile, Air pacific's chief executive, John Campbell, says as a matter of airline policy, he will not comment on industrial disputes.