23 Sep 2011

Qantas urged to take a stand over controversial Fiji employment decree

2:23 pm on 23 September 2011

Fiji's Trades Union Congress leader says the Australian airline Qantas has moral and social obligations to Fiji workers at Air Pacific.

Documents leaked to a blog site reveal the head of Air Pacific commissioned a New York legal firm to draft the Essential Industries Decree at the cost of 24,000 US dollars.

The decree to limit union influence in labour relations was adopted by the interim government two weeks ago but is seen as violating international conventions.

Felix Anthony says as Qantas has a 46 percent share in Air Pacific it needs to answer to its apparent collusion with the Fiji regime.

"Qantas we believe has not only a moral but a social responsibility to workers in Fiji by virtue of being a major sharholder in Air Pacific. And I believe they need to also answer to the people of Fiji why they are condoning such actions and behaviour."

Mr Anthony says the government has failed the people of Fiji by condoning this behaviour and he's calling for the head of Air Pacific to be dismissed.

Qantas says it wants no involvement in the matter, adding that Air Pacific runs a separate operation.