The Fijian Government has signed a Joint Implementation Report Agreement with the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) and the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) last night following series of deliberations held this week between the parties and the ILO Tripartite Mission.
While signing the agreement, Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the report will be handed over to the ILO governing body in March once certain requirements stated in the report are adhered to.
The Attorney-General said the amendments to the law will be presented in Parliament by a way of Bill.
“We hope to have the Bill submitted under Standing Orders 51 to expedite it so that we can have the amendment to the law effected by the end of the session of that particular week in Parliament,” he said.
He added that the parties unanimously agree that there is no need for the ILO to pursue Article 26 any further as all issues have now been resolved.
“The Fijian Government believes that this matter is now put to rest and we look forward to a very co-operative and harmonious approach with all the stakeholders including the employer and employee organizations in Fiji,” AG said.
He further stated that the Employment Relations Advisory Board (ERAB) will continue to review labour laws in Fiji and make recommendations to the Minister for Labour to ensure that Fiji’s labour laws are in compliance with the ILO Conventions that have been ratified.
FTUC General Secretary Felix Anthony said he looks forward to the Bill being passed in Parliament.
“We believe that the issues we have agreement on are the more serious issues that actually resulted in the complaint to the ILO under Article 26 which called for a Commission of Inquiry and generally to do with freedom of association,” he said.
“Having agreed to resolve these issues and the complaint on the freedom of association are no longer required to be pursued. We expect Parliament to pass the Bill that would contain all these issues that we have agreed on and of course be implemented without delay.”
Chief Executive Officer of FCEF – Nezbett Hazelman said they are pleased with this agreement.
“For businesses in Fiji, I think they will be very, very pleased. We put the nation first and we have got an agreement before us that we believe is very workable,” he stated.