Tonga's Public Servants Association has issued another ultimatum to government and threatened to go on strike if their demands are not met.

At a meeting on Friday February 24, the PSA decided to oppose the Cabinet decision of February 3 to reduce the size of the Public Service.

Dr '‘Aivi Puloka, the president of PSA, said today that the public servants agreed on Friday to present government with two recommendations that:

- the 40% of the 60, 70, and 80% salary rise left to be paid during this financial year should be paid before July 2006.

- the PSA strongly oppose the Government...’s move to offer a redundancy package because they think there are other options.

'Aivi said that PSA members on Friday agreed that they will go on strike if government neither responds nor gives-in to their demand.

On February 16 'Aivi wrote to the Minister of Finance, Hon. Siosiua '‘Utoikamanu, and pointed out that the cabinet decisions to reduce the size of public servants breached the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed on September 3, 2005 between the striking PSA and the Cabinet.

The PSA also requested Government for a consultant to come and meet with PSA executives to explain the details of the cabinet decision

'‘Aivi said that the Minister of Finance denied their request for a consultant because it was not under their responsibility, instead referred their request to the Secretary of the Public Servants Commission, Kelepi Makakaufaki. A meeting with Kelepi Makakaufaki to detail the Cabinet's decision never took place that was why the PSA called a general meeting of its members last Friday.