29 Jan 2016

Room for consensus for Fiji govt and unions - ILO

2:24 pm on 29 January 2016

There is room for the government of Fiji and the Trades Union Congress to achieve consensus on complying with standards of freedom of association, according to the International Labour Organisation.

A week-long ILO mission to Fiji, that was investigating why the union had refused to sign a required joint implementation plan, has concluded.

The ILO said all parties engaged in full and frank dialogue and it's encouraged by the steps taken this far.

The Fiji Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, said a provision which allows union fees to be deducted from employee pay checks is now in place.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the government will also reinstate grievances before the employment tribunal which were terminated by the Essential National Industries Decree of 2011.

He said a law allowing the notice period for strikes to be reduced from 28 days to 14 days will be enacted.

The Fiji Trades Union Congress could not be reached for comment.

The parties to the implementation plan have until March to sign the agreement or the ILO could establish a Commission of Inquiry.