Fiji action may mean reprimand

Press, 24 August 1977, Page 12

Fiji action may mean reprimand

PA Wellington, New Zealand and Austra- ! Han trade unions which took I part in the Fiji dockworkers*' strike could face disciplinary' ■ action from the International 1 Confederation of Free Trade I Unions — Asian Regional I Organisation, according to I the Fiji Ministry of Informa- ' tion.

A letter expressing concern about the “unwarranted intervention” of certain New Zealand and Australian trade unions in the internal affairs of Fiji had been received by the Fiji Prime Minister (Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara) from the president of I.C.F.T.U. - A.R.O. (Mr C. V. Devan Nair).

Mr Devan Nair, of Singapore, said he had asked for a report from the Fiji Trade Union Congress on the part played by New Zealand and Australian trade unions in the strike, and at the next i meeting of the executive of the organisation he would call for a “strong reprimand” of the unions concerned.

The Ministry of Information said that Mr Devan Nair had assured Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara that trade

, union national centres in 'developing countries of the Asian region would not condone such “flagrant misuse” 'of trade-union power. i “I would like to express ' the pride which my colleagues and I in Singapore felt about the firm and dignified manner in which you dealt with the arrogant attempt, by New Zealand trade unions in particular, to hold the independent judiciary of your country to ransom,” Mr Devan Nair had said. The Ministry’s statement also said that the Fijian Government had replied to a ] New Zealand Public Service Association cablegram which had expressed concern about the imprisonment of tradeunion officials and seeking their release.

The Fijian Government’s reply regretted that the P.S.A. had been “misinformed” of the situation that resulted in the imprisonment of the unionists. They had been imprisoned because they had broken the law by illegal strikes, the Fijian Government said.