12 Jun 2017

Fiji's Chaudhry wants a fair minimum wage

6:42 am on 12 June 2017

The leader of the Fiji Labour Party is proposing a minimum wage rise that he says meets certain groups halfway.

Trade unions in Fiji are demanding a raise of FJ$4.00 an hour, and a consultant from the University of the South Pacific recommends a raise of FJ$2.68.

Mahendra Chaudhry said his party would like to see a gradual raise in the minimum wage, not the extravagant proposal made by the National Federation Party, which wants the rate set at FJ$5 an hour.

"An interim solution would be to raise the minimum wage immediately to $3.50 to give relief to these workers and negotiate a fair minimum wage to properly convene tripartite negotiations," he said.

Mahendra Chaudhry

Mahendra Chaudhry Photo: AFP