1 Oct 2012

Fiji unionists says interim regime's new found love for workers won't wash

7:08 pm on 1 October 2012

The Fiji Trades Union Congress says the interim regime cannot bamboozle the people by blaming trade unions if the United States removes the country from its Generalised System of Preferences for exports.

The FTUC national secretary, Felxi Anthony, says the people won't be misled by the overnight love that the government and its supporters have found for the workers of Fiji.

He says calling the FTUC 'unFijian' is a bad joke, coming from a regime that took power illegally, misleads the people and disrespects indigenous institutions and traditions.

Mr Anthony says over the last 3 years the regime has systematically repressed trade union and workers' rights through a series of decrees.

He says the ILO has pointed out the violations and these will be examined in Washington ahead of any decision on the trade preferences, due on Wednesday.