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This Months Issue
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The unionist - Kuini Lutua
She’s hardly the picture of a militant union leader, but Kuini Lutua, the Fiji Nursing Association general secretary, in July 2007 led her women-dominated union in a major nationwide strike against the military-led interim government, presenting the first major direct challenge to the policies implemented after the coup. The nurses demanded a restoration of a five per cent pay cut that was imposed on all civil servants. They also protested the reduction of the retirement age to 55. The strike tested the durability of the interim regime and despite military and government intimidation, as well as the capitulation of other unions, Lutua stood firm on the unfairness on nurses of a pay cut. More than 1200 nurses joined in the 16-day strike that crippled the healthcare service and forced the closures of some clinics and departments. Despite fierce criticism from some quarters, Lutua led her members with grace through the entire 16 days. Her members were not paid for the two weeks they went on strike, and the government and health authorities played harsh divide and rule tactics that eventually took its toll on members who not only had families to feed, but were mindful of their duty of care to patients. Critically, the government and the Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations refused to refer the matter to permanent arbitration which would have saved the nurses their struggle. In December the High Court ruled in favour of the FNA's judicial review against the Permanent Secretary and the Labour Minister for failing to refer the trade dispute to arbitration. Justice Roger Coventry has given Lutua and the nurses association until January to submit evidence in support of their compensation claim. The nurses’ strike – their longest ever – was worthwhile, says Lutua, despite the interim regime refusing to reverse its decision. Lutua is Mai Life’s Woman of the Year for leading the thousands of nurses, mainly women, in standing up for their rights. 
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