On July 25, public servants rejected the acting prime minister's call to return to work, as the fourth day of their strike brought many government agencies to a standstill. Two-thousand workers marched to parliament in Nukualofa to present a letter addressed to the prime minister, demanding pay rises of up to 80%. On July 26, public schools shut down as 1400 teachers joined the strike. Noble MPs joined with the people's representatives in Tonga's parliament on July 27 to vote to order the government to grant the public servants' demands. On July 28, the prime minister rejected an independently mediated compromise that would have meant an immediate return to work by public servants.
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, August 3, 2005.
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