4 Aug 2005

Fiji nurses hold brief strike

3:32 pm on 4 August 2005

Nurses at hospitals across Fiji staged a lightning strike from 9.00am today in protest at the response of the government to their longstanding grievances.

Members of the Fiji Nurses Association went on strike at hospitals in Suva, Labasa and other towns.

Only a handful of nurses and student nurses were providing skeleton services for emergency cases.

The president of the Fiji Nurses Association, Simione Racolo, has defended the strike, saying all the nurses completed their morning duties before walking out.

He said the lightning strike was only for four hours.

The labour minister, Kenneth Zinck, says the strike was illegal and has threatened to take action against union officials.