The Wages Council in Fiji says although the majority of full-time workers are expected to receive modest pay rises in the middle of August, half will still be paid below the poverty line.
A new wage order regulation has been presented to the interim Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment for approval following meetings between the wage councils representing ten different industries.
The Chairman of the Wages Council, which represents 60 percent of full-time workers, Father Kevin Barr, says different pay rises were determined for each industry based on their circumstances.
He says most can only afford small increases.
"The ideal that we work towards is the poverty line in Fiji, which is currently $195 dollars a week for a family of mum, dad, two or three children. And I suppose that means that people should earn four dollars an hour. It looks like those in mining and quarrying and saw milling, some of those would reach that figure but the others wouldn't."
Father Kevin Barr from the Wages Council in Fiji.
