Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Solomon Islands teachers threaten another strike

Posted at 20:07 on 22 February, 2013 UTC

Teachers in Solomon Islands say they will strike on March the fourth unless the government pays money owed to them.

The President of the Solomon Islands National Teachers Association, or SINTA, Samson Faisi, says under an agreement signed after the last strike, teachers were due to receive money to make up for what they were underpaid in 2012.

Mr Faisi says part of this pay was due yesterday, but it hasn’t shown up.

He says the government has one week to pay teachers, or they will strike for the second time this year.

“The due date is the 28th of February, that is Thursday next week. And if the government fails to honour that then the next option is for us to take a nationwide strike, or we have to take the Government to court. SINTA, we just want to go for a nationwide strike so the impact can be felt by the whole of the nation. Whether they like it or not, we just have to take that action.”

The Ministry of Education refused to comment but a spokesperson said they hope to be able to pay the teachers soon.