This peak council of trade unions in Fiji was formed on 29 Sep 1951 as the Fiji Industrial Workers' Congress. The present name was adopted in October 1966. The Congress has had a relatively stable administration: the first honorary Secretary was Tomasi Vunisina, 1951-1957, Mohammed Ramzan was honorary Secretary from 1960-1972, and James Raman followed him as National Secretary, with one short break, till the Biennial Conference in May 1994. The Congress was based at Nadi and Lautoka in the western districts of Viti Levu until 1962 when it shifted to Suva.<BR><BR>Following a wage freeze in November 1984, the FTUC withdrew from a Tripatite Forum (of government, employer and union representatives, established in 1977 to consider economic policy issues) and launched the Fiji Labour Party to challenge government policies. The Public Service Association President, Timoci Bavadra, became the Party's President. In late 1986 the Labour Party formed a coalition with the National Federation Party which defeated the Alliance Party in the elections of April 1987 thus precipitating the military coups of May and November 1987 during which the FTUC offices were firebombed and its executive imprisoned.

Conference papers, 1962-1994<BR>Executive Committee minutes and related papers, 1966, 1971-1991<BR> Management Board minutes and related papers, 1974-1991<BR>Womens Wing Executive Committee minutes, 1983-88, 1992-94<BR>circulars to affiliates, 1959-1978<BR>press releases, 1974-1996<BR>selected FTUC general and affiliate files (the international files of the Congress have not been filmed at this stage)<BR><I>FTUC Official Directory</I>, 1979-1991<BR>Other documents<P><B>See reel list for further details</B>