8 Sep 2005

Fiji electricity workers agree to call off planned strike

10:20 am on 8 September 2005

A planned nationwide strike by employees of the Fiji Electricity Authority from today has been called off.

This follows talks late last night between the labour minister Kenneth Zinck, the works and energy minister Col Savenaca Draunidalo and the general secretary of the FEA Workers Association, Daniel Urai.

The Fiji Sun reports that they failed to reach an agreement on the workers' grievances but did agree to put off the strike.

Mr Zinck is quoted as saying there will be no strike and talks will continue at another level when Mr Urai returns from overseas.

Mr Urai is due to leave for Brussels next Tuesday.

The chief executive of the Fiji Electricity Authority, Rokoseru Nabalarua, says they have to bring reality to the situation because the record high cost of diesel generating fuel has be balanced with the workers' demands which he describes as horrendous.