Vanuatu's Commissioner of Labour says a series of emerging industrial disputes is highlighting the need for new labour legislation in the country.
Lionel Kaluat says Airport Vanuatu workers have issued a 30-day strike notice to the Airport authority over a range of demands, mainly concerning pay and allowance conditions.
Mr Kaluat says there is a danger that if that dispute is not settled soon, the workers could co-ordinate with Air Vanuatu workers who are also involved in an industrial dispute with their employers.
He says the Teachers Union is also understood to be on the verge of industrial action
Mr Kaluat says the wave of disputes present a challenge for Vanuatu, which has just joined the ILO, to update the legislation governing industrial relations and employment,
"It's quite good for me personally. I think it's a good experience. We haven't been encountering such actions for a long time and it's good that we are getting into this, and in the process a review of our legislation - I think it's quite timely that we also address our legislation because it's all outdated."
Commissioner of Labour, Lionel Kaluat.
