The Tongan Government is facing a national crisis of unknown proportions as a large meeting of angry public servants and supporters decided this evening to stop work, starting tomorrow July 22, at 8.30 am.

The first national strike in Tonga's history follows the government's rejection of last week's request by the Public Service Association (PSA) for reconsideration of huge disparities in the salary increases awarded to the Tongan public service in this year's budget.

A majority of Tongatapu Public Servants who attended a public meeting this evening, July 21, agreed to go on a peaceful national strike.

At 8.30 am on Friday morning public servants were asked to assemble at the Mala'e Pangai Si'i, next to the Treasury, according to a spokesperson for the PSA, Fotu Fisi'iahi, "to sing until somebody comes back from heaven."

After a number of speeches, including a speech by the PSA legal adviser, Clive Edwards, (a Tongatapu People's Representative), four motions were presented.

The meeting rejected the first motion for a national strike to start on Monday July 25, while the executives of PSA were to make contact with international labour union organizations, and the public servants' association of the neighbouring island countries for their support.

They wanted the strike to begin immediately and voted in favour of a motion for the national strike to start tomorrow, and for the contact with international labour unions to be ongoing.

Although there was cheering and laughter for a final motion to call for the resignation of the Prime Minister, Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, who had just left for overseas amid the discontent, "which showed that he did not care about public servants and their grievances", the motion had little voice support.

No one seconded another motion that recommended that Public Servants accept the salary revision that was offered by government while they were trying to establish a union, giving them a strong base where they could take action from.

Public servants in outer islands groups were awaiting the decision passed tonight in the capital.

The government is Tonga's biggest employer and is thought to have over 4,000 people on its payrolls.

The strike action follows months of discontent by various sectors in Tonga, who this year have marched firstly on the Palace over privatisation issues, and again to Parliament over the imposition of a new 15% consumption tax on all goods and services.

See also: Tonga's public servants urged to strike over pay dispute [2]