28 Mar 2014

Fiji Union Council wants inquiry into labour rights as soon as possible

3:53 pm on 28 March 2014

The Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions wants to see a Commission of Inquiry into labour rights in the country as soon as possible.

The council has written to the UN International Labour Organisation to enact an inquiry, and address issues such as worker intimidation.

It comes as the Human Rights Watch calls on members of the ILO to enact an Inquiry when it meets next week.

An ILO mission was turned away by Fiji in 2012, and the Council of Trade Unions national secretary, Attar Singh, says a Commission of Inquiry might have more teeth.

"We had ourselves written to ILO seeking ILO's intervention by way of Commission of Inquiry last year. We would like to see that this does take place as soon as possible. Because we think it's important for Fiji and also the people of the world to know what exactly is going on in Fiji."

Attar Singh says the Fiji government has stated to the ILO that any mission would have to be after the September election.