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The National Farmers Union' (NFU) is one of Fiji's largest trade unions. It was launched in Labasa in July 1978 under the auspices of the Fiji Trades Union Congress, with Mahendra Chaudhry as its first General Secretary. The union was initially based in Vanua Levu but gradually extended its operations to Viti Levu.
Although the union was initially only based in Vanua Levu, it had an immediate impact on Fiji's sugar industry, as it exposed the corruption in allocating newly released cane farming land to Minister's wives. It also successfully objected to the appointment of Government representatives to the Sugar Cane Growers Council. In 1981, the NFU had its first major dispute with the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) when it sought compensation for losses incurred by farmers due to the abnormal closure of the Labasa Mill. In the early 1980s, the NFU joined other farmers' unions under an umbrella organisation known as, the Joint Committee of Cane Growers Associations, to take part in the restructure if the sugar industry in Fiji. In 1985, the NFU took industrial action to raise the forecast price of sugar cane from $17.50 per ton to $20 per ton. The NFU also assisted farmers who had suffered losses due to natural disasters.
In 1986, the NFU extended its activities to Viti Levu, and branches were formed in all cane growing districts. Negotiations for a new master award began in 1989 under difficult circumstances as Fiji was under a military dictatorship following the coups in 1987. The NFU asked for 80% of the proceeds from sugar sales to be given to the farmers and a relaxation of the burnt cane penalty. The Sugar Tribunal, instead, decreased the growers' share of proceeds and increased burnt cane penalties. When the FSC refused to entertain any further discussions, the NFU took the matter before the courts. It lost the case but lodged an appeal. While the appeal was in progress, the NFU launched an industrial campaign and held mass rallies. On 30 June 1990, the regime agreed to return to the existing cane contract. Following this win by the NFU, the regime continued to intimidate its leaders but was unsuccessful, mainly due to support from overseas unions and sugar consuming countries.
An indication of the support enjoyed by the NFU was evident in the general elections of 1992.| 1992 election]] when Labour Party candidates, supported by NFU won all but one of the rural seats. The Sugar Cane Growers Council elections were held, for the first time since the 1987 coup, in March 1992 and the NFU won 33 of the 38 Council seats.
During the 1997-1998 drought, the NFU asked the Government to assist the farmers. After the Government refused, the NFU boycotted harvesting, forcing the Government to provide farmers with a cash grant and rehabilitation assistance.
To undermine the support of NFU, the NFP decided to set up a rival organisation, the Fiji Cane Growers Association, which resulted in the farmers being split although the NFU still enjoys majority support. The support for the two unions can be gauged by the composition of the Sugar Cane Growers Council, which has 38 members elected by the farmers and eight members nominated by the Government. The Sugar Cane Growers Council election is held every three years.
In the 1998 Sugar Cane Growers Council elections, the NFU won 22 seats. In 2001, the National Farmers Union won 21 seats while the Fiji Cane Growers Association won 16 seats. One seat went to an independent. In 2004, the NFU retained its majority in the Sugar Cane Growers Council, winning 22 of the 38 seats contested. It had increased its support by one seat compared to the last results while its rival, the NFP-backed Fiji Cane Growers Association managed only fourteen seats, down two seats from the previous elections. The remaining two seats went to independent candidates. National Farmers Union polled 52 per cent of all votes cast compared to the Fiji Cane Growers Association's 42 percent.
The eight members nominated by the Government and the two independent candidates hold the balance of power. Since the NFU is supported by the Government Party's main rival, the Fiji Labour Party, Government appointees to the Council have always been rivals of the NFU.
Vanua Levu, formerly known as Sandalwood Island, is the second largest island of Fiji. Located 64 kilometres to the north of the larger Viti Levu, the island has an area of 5,587.1 square kilometres (2,157.2 sq mi) and a population of 135,961 as of 2007.
Labasa is a town in Fiji with a population of 28,500 at the most recent census held in 2010.
Sir Vijay Raghubar Singh, KBE was an Indo-Fijian lawyer and politician who held Cabinet office in the 1960s and 1970s. Vijay Singh served in Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara's government in a variety of positions, including Attorney-General, and was president of the Indian Alliance, a division of the ruling Alliance Party. He quit the party in 1979 following disagreement with Alliance leadership and later joined the opposition National Federation Party. Vijay Singh was involved in the restructure of the Fiji sugar industry and was a leading member of the Jaycees movement in Fiji.
Ambalal Dahyabhai Patel, better known as A.D. Patel, was an Indo-Fijian politician, farmers' leader and founder and leader of the National Federation Party. Patel was uncompromisingly committed to a vision of an independent Fiji, with full racial integration. He was one of the first to advocate a republic, an ideal not realized in his lifetime. He also advocated a common voters' roll and opposed the communal franchise that characterized Fijian politics.
Ayodhya Prasad Sharma was an Indo-Fijian farmers' leader and politician. He formed the most successful farmers' union in Fiji and forced the Colonial Sugar Refining Company to make concessions to farmers after 60 years of total control over Fiji's economy. However, other Indo-Fijian leaders formed rival unions and his initial success was not repeated. He also served as a member of the Legislative Council between 1953 and 1959.
Kisan Sangh was the first farmers' union formed in Fiji on 27 November 1937. This was the result of one man's determination to improve the plight of Fiji's Indian cane farmers. Ayodhya Prasad had arrived from India in 1929, and after a stint as a teacher took up cane farming and thus obtained firsthand experience of the problems faced by Fiji Indian cane farmers.
Western United Front (WUF) was an ethnically Fijian political party formed prior to the 1982 elections and contested the election in coalition with the National Federation Party . The party was in response to the disenfranchisement of indigenous peoples in the Western Provinces of Viti Levu as despite the presence pf major economic drivers of the country located in their areas they lack representation on the decision making table of the country.
The Kisan Sangh had been active in the Western Division of Fiji since 1937 but had not seen the need to expand its activities to other sugar cane growing districts because of transportation problems and the fact that the other districts combined had far fewer cane farmers than the Western Division. By 1950, the Maha Sangh, a rival to the Kisan Sangh, was well established in Labasa in the Northern Division. As negotiations began for the 1950 cane contract, the Kisan Sangh decided to spread its activities to the Northern Division and the Labasa Kisan Sangh was formed with support from Viti Levu.
James Shankar Singh, MBE was a Fiji Indian farmer, businessman, social worker and politician who served as a Minister in the Alliance Government of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. Like many Fiji Indian politicians of the era, he joined the Alliance Party with a belief in mutiracialism, but was disappointed with the Alliance Party's appeal to Fijian nationalism after 1977 and left the Alliance to join the National Federation Party.
James Madhavan was an Indo-Fijian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives for most of the period between 1947 and 1973 and had two spells in the Executive Council.
The Citizens Federation was the political expression of a predominantly Indo-Fijian trade union movement, and was a forerunner of the present day National Federation Party.
Sugar Cane Growers Council represents the sugar cane farmers in Fiji. It is made up of 38 members elected by the farmers and eight members nominated by the government. The Sugar Cane Growers Council election is held every three years. The Council has a chief executive, the first one being Vijay R. Singh, and a chairman.
Jagannath Sami has been a soccer player representing a premier district side in the Fiji Football Association competitions, a leader of the sugar mill workers, a leader of a farmers' union, a politician and chief executive officer of the Sugar Cane Growers Council but he is best known for the controversy surrounding his dismissal as the CEO of the SCGC by the military regime of Commodore Josaia Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama following the military coup of 2006.
The Fiji Cane Growers Association (FCGA) is a cane farmers' union established in 1992 by supporters of the National Federation Party (NFP).
Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) is the government-owned sugar milling company in Fiji having monopoly on production of raw sugar in Fiji. It is also the largest public enterprise in the country employing nearly 3,000 people, while another 200,000 or more depend on it for their livelihood in rural sugar cane belts of Fiji.
Charan Jeath Singh is an Indo-Fijian businessman, politician, and Cabinet Minister. From 1992 to 2005 he was Mayor of Labasa. He is the founder of the CJS Group of companies.
Parmod Chand is a Fijian politician and former member of the Parliament of Fiji. He is a member of the National Federation Party (NFP).
Shiromaniam Madhavan, son of a founding member of the National Federation Party (NFP), was a Fiji Indian politician who served in the Labasa Town Council and the House of Representatives. He contested numerous elections for different political parties.
This is a synopsis of organisations formed by Indians in Fiji. When they became free from the bondage of indenture and were able to organise themselves, they founded numerous organizations to seek social and political justice. These organisations promoted the teaching of Indian languages and religious practices and also to help others in time of need. Some of the successful organisations are listed below in the order in which they were established. Some, such as the National Federation Party, are no longer exclusively Indian, but are still predominantly so.
