Nation-Wide Strike Looming

The Fiji Nursing Association has really taken the bull by the horns this time. See Fiji Times article "Nurses to go on strike".

The FNA General Secretary Kuini Lutua has confirmed that 80 percent of nurses (and this number is likely to go up at their upcoming AGM) have voted to go on strike against the arbitrary decisions of this dictatorial government.

A strike by nurses, she said, is now inevitable.

The FTA have indicated they will follow FNA and join the strike.

FPSA have previously confirmed they have an overwhelming mandate from its members to go on strike over these same issues.

The illegal IG is having some difficulty understanding (perhaps because of their lack of experience) what effect a prolonged nationwide strike can and will have on the ability of this government to function.

It seems that only experienced politicians can appreciate the effect of the threat by the Unions.

Bune is reportedly so worried about this whole strike saga that he is enlisting the help of former politicians and long time civil servants to try and talk to the Unions, particularly FPSA, to avert a strike.

The military of course is reportedly approaching this whole strike threat as if it was a mutiny by its soldiers.

We can't blame them really. They just don't know any better.

Soldiers are, afterall, trained in the use of weapons, not words.

But surely, the IG must realise that using the military to resolve a national strike is like using a bazooka to swat a fly.

We are hearing reports that the military top brass (or at least those few who are pro-King Bai supporters) are preparing for "battle" and have plans laid down to quash (with bloodshed if necessary) any attempt by Union members to gather in public during the strike period.

The military also intend to take in the organisers of the strike soon (before the strike) for a crash course on "following orders" and when the strike starts to enforce a complete media blackout on it so that the striking employees do not know whats happening.

The time for diplomacy is not yet gone, King Bai... but your time has surely come.

A clash between the downtrodden workers and a misinformed military following the illegal orders of an overpaid IG now not only seems imminent, but inevitable.

Perhaps, some patriotic soldiers will overthrow the good King Bai before the time comes for them to raise their arms against their own mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins and friends.