Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says politicians and unionists are using workers for their own gain, and this is happening with the illegal strike by the Air Terminal Services workers.

As we enter into the third week of the illegal walkout by the ATS workers, many of whom still remain away from work, Bainimarama says the workers did not follow the right procedure.

Bainimarama says it was a wrong decision, which also put lives at risk at the airport.

The PM added that with the General Elections approaching, many politicians will use ordinary Fijians for their own benefits as seen during the ATS saga.

He adds workers nationwide need to think twice before being influenced by others.

Bainimarama says the opportunists were using the workers for their own benefit and were behind the non-committal of signing of the Return to Work documents.

He says the workers need to realize that union leaders and politicians only show support to the workers and not be left out without a job and to look after families.

The PM says the workers need to look at how their own families needed to be looked after and the impact such politically-inspired events, has on the family of the individual workers.

Bainimarama says the union leaders and politicians have found a platform to start election campaigning and the workers were being used by those with other motives.

He also paid tribute to those workers who have been holding the fort since the illegal walkout.

Bainimarama was speaking at the rural electrification project launch in the Nakorouto and Navuca settlements in Tailevu.

We will have more on the issue later this afternoon.