Fiji Times, August 16, 2007 The health system is slowly getting back to
normal with nurses returning to work after they called off their strike
last week, says the director nursing Lola Tuiloma. Ms Tuiloma said on
the first day of work after the strike was called off, about 30
rostered nurses out of 80 did not turn up on the first shift on
Saturday. Twenty-nine others who were rostered for the second shift on
the same day did not turn up to work, some reported sick while others
did not provide valid reasons, she said. ... Tuiloma

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, August 15, 2007 The Fiji Nurses
Association has welcomed the ruling by High Court favoring the Fijian
Teachers Association’s argument on the holiday pay for teachers and the
reinstatement Association president as principal of Nasinu Secondary
School. Association general secretary Kuini Lutua said the ruling has
put the contingency plans of the interim government and Education
ministry to the test. More importantly Lutua adds it shows there is
confidence in the judiciary. ... Fiji

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, August 14, 2007 The Fiji Nurses
Association has challenged the interim government to show how the
nurses’ strike saved it $400,000. Association general secretary Kuini
Lutua made the comments in light of the Health Ministry’s announcement
that it had saved substantial amount of money when nurses went on
strike. The savings were announced by the Public Service Minister
Poseci Bune but Lutua reportedly said interim government has left out
the cost of overtime and salaries for replacement staff from its
figures. ... Nurses

Fiji Times, August 14, 2007 Health services in the Western Division are
moving back to normal, says divisional acting director Dr Eloni Tora.
He said health services were getting back to normal slowly. "Things
will be moving back to 100 per cent very soon with the nurses coming
back to work," he said. "We are glad the nurses have started coming
back to work." Dr Tora said there was a gradual restoration of normal
services over the weekend. ... West

Fiji Times, August 14, 2007 Operations at health facilities around the
country should be back to normal now, says permanent secretary for
Health Doctor Lepani Waqatakirewa. Dr Waqatakirewa said all nurses who
went on strike three weeks ago were expected to have resumed normal
duties by yesterday except for some health centres which were
undergoing renovations. Nurses were directed by the Fiji Nursing
Association to return to work on Saturday if they were rostered to do
so but reports over the weekend said a poor and slow return of nurses
had been noted in health facilities around the country, especially the
Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva. ... All

Radio Australia, August 13, 2007 Some of Fiji's striking nurses appear
to have failed to return to work. The Fijilive website reports that
despite ending their 16 day strike action, the country's interim health
minister says hospital wards appeared under-staffed when he made a
visit over the weekend. The Ministry of Health will make an assessment
later today to find out if all the nurses are back at work. More than a
thousand members of the Fiji Nursing Association ended their nationwide
strike last week and were supposed to report to work on Saturday. The
nurses have lost wages for the days they were on strike. The nursing
association says members are now eagerly pursuing job offers in
Australia and New Zealand, because the interim government has failed to

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, August 13, 2007 The nurses in Fiji have
been approached by representatives’ of overseas recruiting agencies,
providing them an opportunity to work abroad. Fiji Nurses Association
general secretary Kuini Lutua said the representatives visited the
striking nurses and talked about job contracts overseas. Lutua said the
head office has also received e-mails from various recruiting agencies.
... Overseas

Fiji Times, August 13, 2007 Director of Immigration, Viliame Naupoto,
says people are wrongly concluding that nurses who had gone on strike
and now planning to leave the country for better jobs overseas are on
the travel ban. ''Who said they are on the travel ban? That is the
wrong conclusions that many people are coming up with,'' Mr Naupoto
said. He denied that Fiji Nursing Association general secretary, Kuini
Lutua, will be banned from leaving the country. ... Naupoto

Fiji Times, August 13, 2007 The interim Government's refusal to address
the grievances of the nurses is expected to force many of them to turn
overseas for greener pastures. Fiji Nursing Association general
secretary, Kuini Lutua, says it is now evident the interim regime,
unlike previous governments, will not look after the nurses' interests.
Ms Lutua said although the strike lasted 16 days the interim government
stood firm on its decision not to give in to their demands, according
to Radio Fiji Gold News. ... Nurses

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, August 13, 2007 The Fiji Nurses
Association is saddened by interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry
stance in the recent dispute with the trade unions. Association general
secretary Kuini Lutua said Chaudhry should have supported the nurses
cause sighting (sic) his long years of involvement with the trade union
movement. She said it was rather visible that Chaudhry has otherwise
taken the road for political gain. ... Nurses

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, August 13, 2007 Fiji nurses will now
consider job opportunities overseas as an option as the Nurses
Association claims the interim government will not be entertaining
their grievances. Fiji Nurses Association President Kuini Lutua said it
was evident unlike past Governments, the Interim Administration 'will
not look after their interest'. She said the nurses strike lasted
16-days but the government stood firm in its decision not to give in to
the nurses demands. ... Fiji

Fiji Times, August 13, 2007 The Health Ministry is expected to save
more than $400,000 when it deducts the salary of nurses who went on
strike from midnight on July 24. The strike lasted 16 days before the
Fiji Nursing Association announced it was withdrawing from the
industrial action and would seek legal redress on its grievances.
Interim Health Minister Doctor Jona Senilagakali said more than
$400,000 would be deducted from salary of nurses who would not be paid
for the time they were on protest off work. More than 1000 FNA members
walked off their jobs last month. The association has 1400 members but
not all of them went on strike. ... State

Radio New Zealand International, August 12, 2007 Trade Unions in Fiji
have strongly opposed changes to the Trade Disputes Act proposed by the
interim minister for the public service, Poseci Bune. Mr Bune called
for changes saying unions had abused provisions of the act when the
Fijian Teachers Association called off its strike after one day saying
it would file a fresh strike notice after school holidays are over. The
chairman of the Confederation of Public Sector Unions, Rajeshwar Singh,
says no changes to the Trade Disputes Act are necessary because it is
due to be replaced by the Employment Relations Bill in October. ... Fiji

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, August 12, 2007 Fiji Nurses Association
General Secretary Kuini Lutua said that lawyer and former Attorney
General Qoriniasi Bale was never involved with the nurses in as far as
industrial action was concerned. Lutua is reacting to a statement made
by Interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama that Bale was
giving nurses poor advice. Bainimarama earlier said Bale's legal advice
to the nurses was his contribution for the SDL party to collapse the
present government. However Lutua refuted this, saying the only
dealings with the FNA that concerned Bale was on a land issue. We have
sought comments from Qoriniasi Bale. Copyright © 2007, Fiji
Broadcasting Corporation Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Fiji Times, August 12, 2007 A directive from the Fiji Nursing
Association for all members rostered for duty at 6 AM yesterday to
return to work was not honoured. In most hospitals, the turnout of
nurses was described as disappointing. Interim Health Minister Doctor
Jona Senilagakali said he was disappointed with the turnout after a
tour of the country's largest medical facility, the Colonial War
Memorial Hospital, in Suva, yesterday morning. ... Nurses