Fiji's public sector unions have offered to forego payment of their 2003 Cost of Living Adjustments worth 5-point-5 million US dollars to avoid the 5% pay cuts to be made by the interim administration.
The chairman of the Confederation of Public Sector Unions, Rajeshwar Singh, says they have put forward the new proposal in the hope of getting a positive response from the administration.
Mr Singh says he hopes the offer will help the interim government contain the size and the cost of the pubic service as a temporary measure.
He says as a result the main objectives and spirit of accommodation that the partnership agreement signed by the deposed government will be maintained for renewed application in the future.
Mr Singh says the unions are willing to talk further with the administration on the proposed pay cut and the reduction in retirement age to 55.
