University of the South Pacific Staff Union President Ruben Colata says they have undertaken two industrial actions within two months this year for critical issues and welfare concerns.

Colata states the first one was regarding their pay, and the second is the current strike action calling for the removal of Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia.

He claims this is the last resort for the unions after meetings with the USP have not been fruitful.

Colata is confident they will be effective with this strike action and is calling on the USP Council to heed their calls for the betterment of the university.

Colata also highlights the inconsistent services at the university, with deteriorating infrastructure that resembles a marketplace.

“And if you look around, the conditions of the building here on campus is deteriorating. Just look behind you and you see the roofs are all black now, and university roofs. They said they gave the job to the contractors, but if you go around the campus you will see everything is just falling down.”

Colata claims that staff don’t have up-to-date equipment and that their overtime has not been paid.

The USPSU president claims that there were 450 reported vacancies last year that are yet to be filled, as presented in the 2023 council meeting.

He says this issue was also raised in Parliament by the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro, who intended to solve it.

We have sent questions to the University of the South Pacific and are awaiting their response on the issues raised by the staff.