The University of the South Pacific (USP) Staff Association is demanding a three per cent increment based on Reserves Bank of Fiji’s inflationary rates from 2019 to 2023.
This comes to a 15 per cent.
Speaking to FijiLive, Association President, Elizabeth Fong said USP had approved an increment of two per cent for October 2023 and another two in January 2024 which is supposed to be backdated, a total of four per cent.
Fong said this now brings the total to 11 per cent and she is adamant that this will be approved and paid in the Christmas pay week.
She said the Administration Staff from the other Union had requested for a 21 per cent based on their calculation on the cost of living.
“We asked for this based on the University’s finances, which shows surpluses every year. And if they have it, and we have calculated it at a mid-point scale of every salary band level to be around 14 million.”
The Association members are currently staging a silent protest outside the meeting venue of the USP Council which is underway.
It is understood that Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad, Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro and Minister for Lands Filimoni Vosarogo are attending the meeting.
