The Fiji Trades Union Congress is surprised by the recent statement issued by the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation and the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, which expresses grave concern over the proposed amendments to the Employment Relations Act.

National Secretary Felix Anthony states that the FTUC and FCEF have been involved in the review of the labor laws since 2012—some 12 years now.

Anthony notes that the previous government annually assured the International Labour Organization of its full compliance with the Core Labour Standards, and the Coalition Government also provided a similar assurance.

He mentions that the FTUC submitted a list of issues it believed were causing industrial strife, while the employers did not present any concerns.

Following the appointment of the coalition government, he says they concluded the review of the law. While there was agreement on more than eighty percent of the issues, there was disagreement on some matters, mainly regarding the penalties.

Anthony asserts that the government was to decide on the issues that remained unresolved.

He argues that the penalties must act as a deterrent to encourage employers to comply with the laws.

He claims that currently, these penalties do not deter employers, leading them to violate laws while letting the courts decide on matters over the years, all the while continuing to infringe on workers’ rights.

According to Anthony, the government produced a draft of the amendments, which was sent to the employers and the FTUC for comments.

He states that the FTUC provided feedback on the draft, while the employers failed to respond at all.

Anthony further states that the FHTA and FCEF either walked out of the meetings or simply did not attend.

The FTUC criticizes the FCEF for perpetuating outdated fears about the economic impacts of labor law changes, particularly regarding minimum wage enforcement.

They argue that small and medium enterprises should not be exempt from laws designed to protect workers, especially when larger employers frequently violate wage rights.

The FTUC expresses disappointment in FCEF’s recent actions, which they view as attempts to delay necessary reforms, emphasizing the importance of compliance with international labor standards.

Additionally, they call out the FHTA for prioritizing profits over fair wages in the hotel industry, urging both organizations to support lawful practices and hold employers accountable.