PSA warns cabinet of possible strike ^Featured

PSA calls on Cabinet NOT to repeat the mistake the Cabinet did in 2005 causing the first ever nation-wide strike action of public servants in Tonga 10 years ago and to follow due process according to law.

The PSA requested an urgent meeting on Tuesday 17th November 2015 with the Hon. Prime Minister, ‘Akilisi Pohiva, requesting for his Cabinet not to repeat the mistake the Cabinet of 2005 did which had caused the first ever nation-wide public servants strike action in Tonga, that is, approving a salary structure for the public servants without the public servants including CEOs knowing what the salary structure is. The Chair of the Public Service Commission (Commission), Mr. ‘Uhila Liava’a, also attended the meeting.

The Remuneration Authority (RA) under the administration of the Hon. Minister of Finance & Planning, ‘Aisake Valu Eke, undertook the review of the salary structure of the public service, which was completed in the last week of September, to addressed the anomalies that had caused the 6.5 weeks strike action in 2005 in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on the 3rd September 2005 by the negotiation teams of those who were on strike and the Cabinet then. The review also addresses a clear career pathway for public servants. The negotiation team of the public servants in 2005 included the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister, Siaosi Sovaleni, and the Hon. Minister of Justice, Sione Vuna Fa’otusia.

The PSA requested to the Hon. Prime Minister, who is also the Minister responsible for the Public Service, for due process to be followed in accordance with Section 6(g) Public Service Amended Act 2010 (Act). The Act clearly stated that the Commission determines the remunerations & benefits of the public servants and recommends it to Cabinet for consideration, NOT the Minister of Finance & National Planning or RA. Moreover, the public servants including the CEOs should see the proposed salary structure first to ensure that there will be no grievances as had happened in 2005 over the same exercise. The PSA is grateful that the anomalies would be finally addressed after 10 years.

The PSA recommended for Cabinet to note the report of the RA but refer it to the Commission should it be submitted by the Hon. Minister for Finance & National Planning to them for endorsement. The PSA also recommended for the Commission to conduct consultations with the public servants on the proposed salary structure before submitting it to Cabinet for consideration. It was also recommended for the implementation of the new salary structure to be deferred to July 2016 as it is now too late to be implemented in this financial year given that amble time will be required for the consultations to take place and also for the new salary structure to be aligned with the new Performance Management System (PMS). The PMS is a new system for evaluating of the public servants’ performance before granting their annual increments.

The PSA also recommended for the current annual increments of the public servants which are being withheld without the Commission’s endorsement to be released; and lastly, the PSA recommended for the long overdue remaining COLA for all employees to be granted prior closing of Government for Christmas. It is important to note that the review undertaken by the RA did not include the COLA as confirmed by the former chair of the RA, Mr. Sefita Tangi, to PSA during a consultation on the review earlier this year.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact the Secretary General of PSA