Civil service strike enters fifth week, with no end in sight [1]
Sunday, August 21, 2005 - 17:45. Updated on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - 09:45.
by Pesi Fonua
Any hope for a quick solution to the continuing national strike by Tonga's Civil Servants remains wishful thinking as we enter the fifth week of the strike, with both sides negotiating at a two steps forward and four steps backward speed.
After waiting for a week, the Public Service Association (PSA) finally received a letter from the Chief Secretary to Cabinet, 'Eseta Fusitu'a, on August 19, in response to the PSA's letter of August 12. In its letter the PSA had spelled out 12 conditions under which they would return work, while an independent auditor and an arbitrator were brought in to assess the situation.
'Ainisi Bloomfield, one of the negotiators of the PSA, told a Tonga Chamber of Commerce meeting on Thursday evening, August 18, that if Cabinet accepted their conditions the PSA would sign a Memorandum of Understanding and they could be back to work on Monday.
But for the PSA and the business community hurting from the strike-stalled economy it was wishful thinking.
Disappointment
The August 19 letter from the Cabinet was read out by Mele 'Amanaki, the Deputy Secretary of PSA at a special general meeting of the PSA on Friday at the National Council of Churches conference room, Vaololoa. Members listened with deadly silence and visibly with great disappointment, because the only condition that was accepted by Cabinet, though with a slight change, was for an arbitration process to allow for an independent auditor and an arbitrator to be brought in.
The PSA's proposed salary rise of 60%, 70% and 80% was rejected by Cabinet. Also rejected was a demand that public servants would be paid for the period of the strike when they return to work.
With regards to a two weeks holidays for teachers in August and the behaviour of students, Cabinet said that it was a matter for the Ministry of Education to deal with.
Cabinet also indicated that the PSA proposal that government should not introduce new taxes to finance the wage rise would be a matter for the treasury to deal with and it would an issue for the independent auditor and the arbitrator to look at.
The proposal to use British law was rejected. The Cabinet response stated that it was a Tongan problem and it was most appropriate to use Tongan laws.
The presence of the media in the General Meeting was queried by PSA members and so the journalists left while the PSA formulated a reply to the August 19 letter from Cabinet.
Conditions for return to work
The PSA's August 12 conditions for return to work were:
1. For both parties to agree and bring in an independent Umpire and for both parties to appoint their own arbitrator.
2. For the executive of the PSA to be involved in the drafting of the term of reference for the Umpire and the arbitrators.
3. For the salaries of Public Servants to be increased by 60, 70, and 80%, based on the old salary scale as of June 30 until the completion of the arbitration.
4. If following the arbitration the salary rise proposed by the PSA was accepted then the payment of salaries should be back-dated to July 1.
5. For the government to bear all the costs involved in the arbitration.
6. For all public servants who have been fired from their work place to return to work.
7. For none of the Public Servants who participated in the strike to be reprimanded and that they should be paid their dues and including their salaries for the period when they were on strike.
8. For all the teachers to still have their August two-weeks holidays.
9. That no students should be penalised because of their support to the strike.
10. No new taxes should be imposed because of the salary rise.
11. To allow some of the committee members of PSA to assist with the arbitration process.
12. For government and the PSA to agree to use the British Law during the Arbitration Process.