Felix Chaudhary 
Aspen Medical's Director Culture & Performance, Edwin Aisake (left); mediator Avneel Chand and CETWUF national secretary John Paul after the signing of the agreement in Suva
Plans by Aspen Medical Ba and Lautoka hospital staff who are members of the Construction Energy and Timber Workers Union of Fiji to take industrial action have been staved off following an agreement reached yesterday.
The deal reached on 13 items on the union’s Log of Claims, inked by union national secretary John Paul and Aspen Medical’s Director Culture & Performance, Edwin Aisake was witnessed by mediator Avneel Chand.
Union national secretary John Paul said six remaining items in the Log of Claims are expected to be resolved by February end.
He said they include wages structure, meal allowance, public holiday pay and loyalty payment – to name a few.
“We are grateful to the Arbitration Court for referring the matter to the Fiji Mediation Centre for mediation to avert a strike scheduled for February 6 by union members working at Aspen Medical run Lautoka and Ba Hospitals,” Paul said.
“I want to thank CETWUF members at the two hospitals for standing together in this fight for achieving a Collective Agreement with Aspen Medical. Under the agreement, members terms and conditions of employment are covered and protected. We will meet over the next two weeks to conclude the final agreement with Aspen Medical.”
The mediator has allowed both parties time until February 26 to engage in good faith discussions on the remaining matters.
