Increase our wages by forty-nine percent or we will strike: SIPEU

PUBLIC servants are planning a nation-wide strike, a Solomon Islands Public Employees Union (SIPEU) source said.

The source said they were not happy with the Sikua Government’s leadership. He said Public Service minister Milner Tozaka on Tuesday summoned SIPEU General Secretary Paul Belande over the planned strike action.

Mr Belande confirmed meeting Mr Tozaka but declined to disclose the contents of their discussions. He could not confirm, nor deny, the planned strike action his Union was proposing. But the source said SIPEU was unhappy with Government ministers’ performance.

“They are performing below par,” the source said. He said SIPEU had given the Government a 14-day notice to perform and address their demand for a 49 per cent wage increase. The source said the notice will expire next week.

Source: Solomon Star