Apenisa Waqairadovu 
[Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]
Air Terminal Services terminated worker Viniana Druguta could not hold back her emotions as she witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that will soon see her and others return to work.
285 ATS workers were dismissed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Druguta says it was tough, and she had to start a catering business to support her family.
She says that she believes that her teachings about living within their means brought them through the tough period.
“We normally teach our children we don’t live expensively; it was not hard for them, especially with eating habits, so it was all good eating rourou and eating dhal.”
Druguta was working as a confidential secretary to the manager of finance when she was terminated.
She says she is super excited to be returning to the work she has been doing for several years.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad says the MOU is evidence of the tripartite relations the government is trying to achieve.
“This is part of the overall philosophy of the new government. We have always said that we want to work in a tripartite manner; we want to bring the government, the unions, and the employers together.”
The workers have been congratulated for their successful bid to have their jobs back.
ATS also admits they are understaffed, and the return of these workers will not have an impact on those who have recently been recruited by the company.
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