Solomon Islands National Union of Workers - Archives of the Solomon Islands National Union of Workers, 1975-2000

PMB 1187

fonds

441524

Microfilm : PMB 1187

microfilm reels 35 mm

The Solomon Islands General Workers Union (SIGWU), later known as the Solomon Islands National Union of Workers (SINUW), was founded by Bart Ulufa'alu and registered on 17 June 1975. Solomon Islands trade unions ran into immediate difficulties gaining recognition from employers and, following a large demonstration in Honiara in December 1975, a number of union leaders were fined and two, Bart Ulufa'ulu (SIGWU) and James Meafa'alu (GNEWU), were gaoled. Bart Ulufa'ulu won a seat in the June 1976 general elections, as a candidate for the union-organised Nationalists' Party. He consequently resigned as SIGWU General Secretary, staying on as an adviser to the Union. Joses Tuhanuku was elected as his replacement. Mr Tuhanuku went to Denmark for training from February 1977 till June 1978, however SIGUW's registration was suspended from October till December 1977 on the grounds of misappropriation of funds (later disproved)
By the time Joses Tuhanuku returned to Honiara the Union's membership had dropped from 6,000 to 300. However strong organisation among plantation workers over the next few years produced collective agreements with Unilever's palm oil operation in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands Plantations Ltd, and two other Unilever subsidiaries, Levers Pacific Timbers Ltd and Levers Pacific Plantations Ltd. By 1980 the union had rebuilt its membership to 10,000, half the Solomon Islands workforce. The name of the union was altered to Solomon Islands National Union of Workers at the at the AGM in April 1980, reflecting the Union's national representation of workers in various categories in almost all industries in the Solomon Islands. (From Joses Taungenga Tuhanuku, "Trade Unions and Politics", in Peter Lawrence and Sue Tarua (Eds.), Solomon Islands Politics, Suva, USP Institute of Pacific Studies, 1983.)

Bart Ulufa'ulu's SIGUW correspondence, Apr-Dec 1975; National Council minutes, 1984-1999; annual returns, 1976-1980; financial returns, 1983-1988; press releases, 1982-1992; correspondence re collective agreements with Foxwood (SI) Timbers Ltd, Honiara Town Council, Levers Solomons Ltd, Lever pacific Timbers, Solomon Islands Plantations Ltd, Solomon Taiyo, Solomon Islands Ports Authority; Trades Disputes Panel Awards, 1984-2000. See Reel List for details

PMB (Australian National University. Pacific Manuscripts Bureau) ; 1187
Available for reference
Microfilm. Canberra, A.C.T. : Produced for the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau, Australian National University. 4 microfilm reels
Solomon Islands National Union of Workers, PO Box 14, Honiara, Solomon Islands
Descriptive list available (2 p.)