Workers walk out

Sikeli Qounadovu

Sunday, February 18, 2018

49 workers of Advance Joinery Building Solutions (AJBS) walked off their jobs on Friday after constant delay in receiving their wages.

19 workers claimed they had not received their wages for the past four weeks, while another 30 had not been paid for the past two weeks.

These are workers at the Tuatua/Nasau Primary School on Koro Island where AJBS had been given the sub-contract by Ba Provincial Council Holdings Ltd (BPCHL) to rebuild the school.

Nasau villager Jiuta Tuibuca walked off his job two weeks ago because what he thought was going to provide for him and his family was not the case.

"I have not been paid for four weeks, so I decided why should I keep working here when I am not being paid anything.

"I live with my aunty and Year Nine cousin and I was hoping to help meet my family's need," he said.

"I have two children in school. One in Year 13 and the other in Year Five. I was hoping this job will assist me, now I am considering returning to my farm," added Solomone Turaga, who also has not been paid for four weeks.

Simeli Cokanasiga, who has to look after his wife, whose right leg was amputated, said since work started last year, there had been consistent delay in their pay.

He said the village canteens had refused to give them any more credit because of constant delay in paying their dues.

When this newspaper visited the school on Friday, only three workers were on site.

Diren Prasad, who is heading the operations of AJBS on the island, said BPCHL was responsible for the workers pay.

BPCHL operations manager Rakesh Prasad said AJBS handled the pay of its workers and to date, BPCHL had transferred about $1 million to ABJS.

He said he was concerned with the plight of the workers and it was something he hoped to settle with Diren Prasad when he arrived on the island.

It is understood that workers of AJBS and BPCHL, who work for Koro High School, are owed over $40,000.

Repair works at the school is funded by AusAID's Assessment to Quality Education Program (AQEP).

AQEP program manager Jemima Stancombe said AQEP expected work to be completed by June.

When asked whether AQEP would ensure the workers receive their pay, she said: "This is a matter that needs to be dealt with by BPCHL/AJBS and its employees. AQEP expects all contractors and subcontractors to comply with Fiji labour laws."

AQEP manages the $9m design and construction project for six schools on Koro Island.

(Source: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=434982 on Monday 19/02/2018)

1) Identify all stakeholders that are mentioned in this case study and categorize each of them in any of the 3 main actors of employment relations?

2) All stakeholder's that you have identified in 1 above has a role to play in the case study. Discuss each of the stakeholder's role in this case study and their link to the main actor of employment relations that you have categorize each of them?

3) Analyse this case study and evaluate the employment relation theory or theories that you can find? Justify your findings by identifying specific line(s) or sentence(s) from the case study to link to the theory. (4 marks)

4) According to Jemima Stancombe, AQEP Program Manager, "This is a matter that needs to be dealt with by BPCHL/AJBS and its employees. AQEP expects all contractors and subcontractors to comply with Fiji labour laws." Discuss the above statement from the ethical responsibilities of the actors? (1.5 marks)

5) If you were the Ministry of Labour Employment Relations Manager in your country, how would you effectively settle this type of grievance? (1.5 marks)