A coalition of current and former staff members at Fiji National University (FNU) has called for the dismissal of a senior management official due to serious allegations of employment violations and breaches of occupational health and safety standards. These staff members, who spoke to FBC News on the condition of anonymity, claim that Vice Chancellor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba is aware of the situation but is allegedly protecting the senior executive involved.
The allegations detail that some staff members were reportedly confined to a boardroom for three consecutive days, receiving just one hour of leave per day for childcare responsibilities. The group accused the senior staff member of demonstrating a blatant disregard for employees’ personal lives and claiming that her behavior is both unethical and inhumane, raising significant concerns over working conditions at the university.
Moreover, they argue that the senior executive lacks the formal qualifications necessary for her current leadership role. Despite raising these grievances for over a year and a half, the staff have expressed frustration over the perceived inaction from both the university’s administration and the Ministry of Education, which they say had called for an internal investigation. Following that investigation, while the senior staff member was removed from her previous position, she was allegedly appointed to an even higher post as the Executive Director of the FNU Foundation, which the staff view as an improper promotion rather than accountability.
Former FNU staff member Rusiate Vada, now residing in Australia, highlighted that under this senior executive’s leadership, workloads and stress levels soared, making it increasingly challenging for staff to manage both their professional and family commitments. He noted that the pressure to meet demanding workloads frequently left them no time for personal life.
The staff’s persistent requests for intervention remain unanswered, leading them to advocate for an independent review of FNU’s governance and management accountability. FBC News has reached out to the implicated senior executive and Vice Chancellor Nabobo-Baba for comment but has yet to receive a response.
This situation echoes previous issues affecting universities in the region, especially concerning staff grievances and allegations of misconduct. It underscores the ongoing challenges faced within academic institutions as they strive to uphold standards of governance and employee welfare. Stakeholders remain hopeful that this call for action will prompt a constructive response that fosters a healthier work environment for educational institutions in Fiji.