Will tonight’s Straight Talk on CFL-Fiji Village reveal the secret plan by unions at the University of the South Pacific for strike action to remove the Vice Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia? There’s been nothing whatsoever in the mainstream media to this point. But Grubsheet can reveal that it is definitely happening – an uprising by staff that is set to grind the education of USP students to a halt.
Union fury at the dismissal of academic Dr Tamara Osborne for revealing confidential internal deliberations to Islands Business back in March has escalated not only into demands for her reinstatement but for the termination of Pal Ahluwalia’s contract.
The Vice Chancellor continues to have the backing of the USP Council, has acceded to union demands for substantial pay rises and is also complying with their demand that he return to Suva from Apia, where he has been running USP from its Samoa campus after having been deported from Fiji by the FijiFirst government. But for the unions, it is not enough. They want Pal Ahluwalia gone altogether. So we have the worker’s collective at USP intent on dictating to the management – the nations who make up the USP Council – who is going to be their boss. Very messy. Very messy indeed.
It hasn’t been publicised at all. But a joint meeting of the two USP unions twelve days ago on July 19 decided on strike action and a “notice of intention to undertake strike action” has been lodged, as the law requires, with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations. It gives notice that a secret ballot of members will be conducted on August 14 at the Laucala, Lautoka and Labasa campuses. And there are two items on the ballot – the reinstatement of Tamara Osborne and the removal of Pal Ahluwalia.
A secret ballot on whether USP staff should strike is one thing. But why the blanket of secrecy over the strike plans that has seen not a word in the national media? Shouldn’t USP students and their parents be told, along with the wider community? If we really are to have “straight talk” tonight, maybe Vijay Narayan can prise the answer out of his two guests – Dr Osborne herself and the now retired Elizabeth Fong.
One reason may be that the Coalition government is evidently split down the middle about what is happening at USP. The Minister for Employment, Agni Deo Singh, – with three decades in the teacher’s union before he entered parliament – is naturally on the side of the unions. The position of the Minister for Education and USP Council member – the “brutal bonker” Aseri Radrodro – isn’t so clear, though in his weakened political state, he can be expected to go with the flow.
But Grubsheet understands that the Deputy Prime Minister, Biman Prasad – who holds the purse strings as Finance Minister – continues to have confidence in Pal Ahluwalia. And as a former USP academic himself, Professor Prasad has a better grasp of the wider implications of giving in to union muscle at USP when the Vice Chancellor still retains the confidence of the Council. Where else in the world do the workers tell the management what to do? Answer: Only in the dreams of the unions at USP.
Grubsheet has come under withering attack for the novel position we have adopted that while Pal Ahluwalia continues to have the confidence of the USP Council, he should be allowed to govern the university without the constant harassment and disruption that is now rapidly coming to a head. The proverbial Blind Freddy can see that the students at USP can only prosper in their studies if there is stability within the university. But instead, we now have an uprising by staff that is poised to bring classes to a halt altogether.
On the issue of Tamara Osborne’s reinstatement, Grubsheet understands the unions don’t have a legal leg to stand on. She breached confidentiality and there are no two ways about it. Of course, we know the law doesn’t matter for the Coalition government in Fiji because of its multiple violations of the Constitution. But there is a constant misapprehension that what Fiji wants at USP, Fiji gets. It doesn’t own the University and there are representatives on the Council of the other nations in the region. And they, at least, have a much better understanding of the law.
Where will this all end? Who knows? But giving in to the unions will set a precedent for other enterprises in Fiji and will certainly make it much harder to attract a replacement for Pal Ahluwalia of sufficient standing who is willing to accept that the Vice Chancellor doesn’t run USP, the unions do.
One thing is certain. Tonight’s Straight Talk is bound to be watched closely by lawyers acting for USP and Pal Ahluwalia. Because academic freedom of expression doesn’t extend to protection from the defamation laws. Pal Ahluwalia’s reputation has already been dragged through the mud. And few of his fellow vice chancellors would blame him if he decides enough is enough and this sorry episode ends up in the courts.
And what about the students and parents? Let’s see if supposedly straight-talking Vijay even asks.
UPDATED AFTER THE PROGRAM WENT TO AIR:
And sure enough, Fiji, you heard it first here on Grubsheet, which continues to break stories that mainstream media outlets ought to be breaking but don’t.
GD, all would be listeners can be assured it’ll be a classic (as always) straight talk.
Duck and cover. Slip and slide. Goose-step side ways, back flipping, zig zag kind of talk. More strait (embarassment) than straight. Anything to ignore the elephant in the room. No hard questions, no fllow-ups, no challenging and certainly no push back on any outrageous statements. Truth does matter. Half truths mixed with innuendo are perfect answers. All of it ipntoned with wanna be serious self important delivery. This is CFL after all.
So much is known about the shenanigans at usp goimg back several years. Staff are self-centered selfish bunch of f-wits always demanding more and more.
No one is going to be any wiser the day after.
Fiji Village straight talk host – if he hasn’t already – should watch Piers Morgan or similar overseas Media Straight Talking type hosts on how to extract information from the participants. Hard hitting probing questions. No holding back. Straight Talk please.
Otherwise the audience may as well watch re-runs of the Tokyo and Rio Olympics rugby sevens finals for a feel good boost.
Alternatively – see or hear “In the Navy” by the Village People for a laugh. Since the Fiji Navy may be recruiting for proper sailors.
Ah, the USP union is at it again, displaying just how indispensable they fancy themselves.
Clearly, clamouring for the reinstatement of Dr Tamara Osborne wasn’t sufficient. now they desire the Vice Chancellor out of the equation as well. Never mind that he’s already contorted himself to meet their demands for pay increases and relocated back to Suva.
It’s truly astonishing how they’ve managed to keep their scheming under wraps, evading any media scrutiny or public transparency. Why bother enlightening students, parents or the broader populace about a strike that could bring the nation to a standstill? Such trivial concerns clearly pale in comparison to the union’s lofty mission to assert dominion over university management.
And let’s not forget the political pantomime. With the Minister for Employment championing their cause, it’s almost as if the unions are part of a grand stratagem.
What a revelation!
Who knew that the education of USP students could become a chess piece in this gambit?
Of course, the unions must be correct.
After all, who needs a Vice-Chancellor who retains the confidence of the USP council and possesses a keen grasp of the university’s broader implications?
It’s far more logical to let the unions dictate terms, ensuring that the university’s administration is at their beck and call. Stability and good governance? Utterly passé.
Here’s to the USP union. They’ve demonstrated how to take a legitimate grievance and magnify it into an elaborate power grab. Let’s hope their next move doesn’t involve christening the university in their own honour.
This straight talks are more like asking for straight teeth in your mouth.
The questions are pre-rehearesed and the interviewee gives the interviewer questions to ask.
Vijay Narayan is a good weather reporter and nothing else. Straight talk is never straight and the interviewee is able to walk out of the interview walking straight. A more brutal interview would leave the interviewee walking in curves.
CFL clowns. No hope there GD. I would rather read your article tomorrow and get better insights than that BS of a broadcasting and media agency.
When good governance of any organisation or country deteriorates, good people are ostracised and replaced by those without scruples, because those without scruples are OK with manipulation, changing narrative and being driven by self-interest are easily bought to ‘tow the party line’ BS.
From Qorvis and Fiji First to supporting the change in Government and now Pal’s PR officer, you have the gaul to take the USP Unions to task for standing up for the staff who hold the institution together! You have not listened to a word of the Unions through various fora. 1300 staff hold up the institution, not one man whose interests in regionalism is under serious scrutiny. Employees like employers have rights and these are being legally applied.
That you listen only to Pal and demand subservience of staff to poor leadership, breaches of policy,unfair and biased treatment of women academics, the expectation of support for flawed processes to be hidden under ‘confidentiality’ reflects on you and those who refuse to understand the USP situation. The man you work for as his ‘PR officer’ continued to pay a Professor excessive allowances because he provided him with information and support as you are now doing. Read Victor Lal Fiji Leaks for the details. Pal refused a negotiated salary adjustment for staff but in this period of salary contention continued to pay the professor allowances for workloads deemed unrealistic by KPMG. In summary the University and its students were losing out. Why did Pal not cease the allowances in the 2019-2020 period when he became VCP? We know why.
The Council vote of 13:10 for renewal of contract does not by any stretch of the imagination convey strong support for the VC. In fact it reveals concerns and if the man considered this vote outcome with any humility he would read the writing on the wall and leave when his contract ends this month. The Unions will not give in to Tamara’s dismissal taken under the pretext of breaching confidentiality when the process was flawed and the decision made by two development partners and one of Pal’s ardent supporters with personal interests with Tamara standing alone and speaking for 1300 staff. The management of the process chaired by one development partner did not see the absence of regional votes as a concern due to timing of meetings and a rush to meet Council deadlines that should not have happened, if not manipulated. We are at last count a regional institution, not a development partners dominion. Graham, I might have retired but I was on the inside until 31 December 2023 when all of this was happening so don’t belittle my knowledge of the entire issue. You are on the outside dependent on one supplier of information for his own personal benefit. USP is bigger than one man or two people. Remember FF!
Oo-ah, the lady is intent on shooting the messenger for daring to suggest that so long as Pal Ahluwalia has the support of the USP Council, who cares what the unions think?
You’ve got your pay rises, you’ve got the VC back in Suva, now get on with it. You work/ed for the university. You don’t manage it, let alone own it. When the Council decides Ahluwalia should go, get back to me.
In the meantime, I don’t need lessons from you or Victor Lal about anything. I call it as I see it and if you don’t like it, don’t reade it. It was OK when I was supporting you all against the FijiFirst government but now comes a shit storm because I won’t fall meekly into line.
Let’s see what the students and parents think when you go on strike. They will be suffering because a bunch of privileged fat cats are having a collective hissy fit and don’t comprehend a basic principle the world over. Boards and management manage. You work. And in Fijian terms, you are amply rewarded for it.
No-one else cares about the internal politics at USP beyond the fat cats in the workers collective and your own PR man, Victor Lal. The only thing the customers want is a quality product. ie. for you to teach the students. And while that’s also the view of the management, you are going to have a hard time winning your argument with anyone, let alone in the court of public opinion in Fiji and the other island nations.
Good luck with it.
GD, while one could concede to know little compared to someone ‘one the inside,’ it sounding very much like the learned ‘retired’ lady is angling for a job back from whence she retired.
And it’s becoming more and more apparent that getting back on the payroll is largely dependent on the reinstatement of the dismissed lady.
As usual, self interest always trumps the wider interests of students, parents, donors, and regional member countries’ interests.
Since when did staff begin to make hiring and firing decisions of a CEO of the very same organization’s the union members WORK for?
This is a good point and really what the whole USP saga comes down to. Epic self interest from all sides has trashed the jewel in the regional crown. Epic self interest has trashed the fiscal reputation of this government. Having a fiscal review committee was a good idea but incredibly self interest and conflicts have hobbled it.
The forensic accountants looked at USP and because of the TOR and also poor drafting it was unable to conclude law breaking but by god a look at morally what’s happened reveals a historical disgrace with feathering of own nests being out of control.
But if Pal is the answer we have clearly not asked the right question.
Ideally the whole lot would be washed away with a bucket of water over a dirty sidewalk and we’d start again under the leadership and a new structure.
Vijay isn’t a straight talker, not even close! He would have been better utilised in the Indian 7s team goose stepping and slip sliding away. Ms Fong should be in bed sipping warm milk and having her chic chip cookies instead of meddling with what is none of her business. But in Fiji who cares? When the government of the day is splashing cash for expensive dinners in a luxury hotel while the hard working individual is having chow noodles for his dinner? Go figure Fiji!
First is a hopeless name.
“Straight Talk”
Usually when a group of boys come out drunk than they would like to bring arguments or events of past of another group and have a straight talk.
Consequences are a fight erupts between the 2 groups.
That’s the straight talk to get things sorted once for all.
Neither his accent is good,sounds like a drunk reporter asking questions.