▁aus p ices ▁of ▁the ▁F iji ▁Tr ades ▁Union ▁Congress , ▁with ▁Mah endra ▁Ch aud h ry ▁as ▁its ▁first ▁General ▁Secretary . ▁The ▁union ▁was ▁initially ▁based ▁in ▁Van ua ▁Lev u ▁but ▁gradually ▁extended ▁its ▁operations ▁to ▁V iti ▁Lev u . ▁▁ ▁Early ▁Years ▁as ▁a ▁Van ua ▁Lev u ▁based ▁Union ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁union ▁was ▁initially ▁only ▁based ▁in ▁Van ua ▁Lev u , ▁it ▁had ▁an ▁immediate ▁impact ▁on ▁F iji ' s ▁sugar ▁industry , ▁as ▁it ▁exposed ▁the ▁cor ruption ▁in ▁alloc ating ▁newly ▁released ▁can e ▁far ming ▁land ▁to ▁Minister ' s ▁w ives . ▁It ▁also ▁successfully ▁object ed ▁to ▁the ▁appointment ▁of ▁Government ▁represent atives ▁to ▁the ▁Sug ar ▁C ane ▁G row ers ▁Council . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁the ▁N F U ▁had ▁its ▁first ▁major ▁dispute ▁with ▁the ▁F iji ▁Sug ar ▁Corporation ▁( F SC ) ▁when ▁it ▁sought ▁compens ation ▁for ▁losses ▁in cur red ▁by ▁far mers ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁ab normal ▁closure ▁of ▁the ▁Lab asa ▁Mill . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁the ▁N F U ▁joined ▁other ▁far mers ' ▁un ions ▁under ▁an ▁um bre lla ▁organisation ▁known ▁as , ▁the ▁J oint ▁Committee ▁of ▁C ane ▁G row ers ▁Associ ations , ▁to ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁rest ruct ure ▁if ▁the ▁sugar ▁industry ▁in ▁F iji . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁the ▁N F U ▁took