Bus Drivers Walk Out Over Wages

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) arranged Rural Service Licence (RSL) mini-buses and taxis to transport students to school in parts of Nadi after bus drivers working for Dominion Transport Company walked off the job yesterday.

The 22 bus drivers complained they have not been paid by the company.

The routes affected were Uciwai, Malamala, Momi, Tau and Tunalia. A bus driver who spoke to the Fiji Sun, Satend Mudaliar, said, “It is nothing to do with the management and the company, it is only the Vodafone who are not releasing the money.

“The only thing we need is last week’s wages. As soon as we get our wages, we will commence with our job.”

LTA has urged the bus company to get their drivers back to work to provide service for their customers.

LTA chief executive officer Samuel Charles Simpson said officials would liaise with the bus company to discuss the issue.

“At the moment we are arranging RSL and LC minibuses and taxis for transportation of students to school today,” he said.

“Our branch manager in Nadi and a team of officers are looking into the matter. We will meet Dominion Transport officials to discuss the issue.

“We will liaise with the bus company because they need to get their drivers back so that students and people will not be affected by their grievances,” he added.

Assistant managing director for Dominion Transport Leena Nadan said the drivers stopped driving on Monday because they complained that they were not paid.

“Our drivers have not been paid since last week Friday,” she said.

“They told us that they will cease driving the buses until they get their wages.

“It is very difficult for us because we receive the fuel cost and the wages from the bank. The bank told us that they will only give what they received from the E-ticketing machines.”

Attempts to get comments from Vodafone were unsuccessful.

Edited by Epineri Vula

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