The Fijian Government will cease deducting about $2million in public sector union dues from next Thursday as it puts in place measures that safeguard the interests of all civil servants. In making the announcement, Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said that these safeguards form the amendments to the Public Service Act to be gazetted soon. The amendment decree allows civil servants the liberty of choosing to join a union. It also provides specific protection from issues of sexual harassment, discrimination on any grounds, fundamental rights to fair wages among other rights. “While we have incorporated these fundamental principles and rights at work, from the next pay the check off system where Government, on behalf of the unions, deduct the union dues from the pay of civil servants, that will no longer take place,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said. “Approximately $2m a year is collected by the unions from this check off system. “Given that these fundamental principles and rights are now being enshrined in the PSC Act, the fact that you have an independent PSC tribunal and the fact that should employees or civil servants feel aggrieved by any decisions of the tribunal they have the right to appeal the ruling through judicial review through the legal system in the High Court, Government believes the unions dues are no longer necessary for Government to facilitate on behalf of the unions. “Of course you will see in this amendment that we have made, the employee is not obliged to join a trade union and on the other hand an employee shall not be prohibited from being or becoming a member of the trade union. “So they are free to join or not to. “If they want to become a member of the trade union and pay their union dues they can go and pay it themselves. “As, for example we have in the law society – if I want to become a member I can go and pay my membership fees.” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said this was not a deliberate attempt to make the unions defunct. “Unions aren’t being banned – what we are saying, that because Government is a choice employer, Government is not going to engage in facilitating union dues being cut off every fortnight, every week whenever pay is due,” he said. “When you look at the balance sheets of some of the large unions like Fiji Public Servants Association they are actually quite rich, financially well off and do own quite a bit of assets around the place – Sports City comes to mind. “At the end of the day if I am an ardent union member I will go and pay my dues. “This in no way stops a person from becoming a member of FPSA or any other union that exists in the country.” Ends…