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BLUFFING AGAIN: FTUC accuses Government of NOT honouring deal

5/1/2016

10 Comments

 

"The FTUC reiterates that the Essential Industries Decree was unjust and wrong. It did no good to Fiji’s reputation nor to its economy. It was merely imposed to kill the Trade Union Movement. It failed. Government, and here I single out the Attorney General’s obsession of ensuring that he alone has the power and that no other institution or organisation should challenge that power. This is what we call dictatorship. We call on the Attorney General to step down from his high horse and respect the rights of all citizens and do the right thing. We call on him to honour the Agreement he negotiated with FTUC and consented to its signing by the then Minister for Labour."

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As agreed prior to the November 2015 Session of the ILO Governing Body Meeting, The Government, Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) and Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) met on the 30th November, 2015 to agree to a work plan to comply with the March 2015 Geneva Tripartite Agreement and the most recent resolution of the ILO Governing Body. The parties again met on 21st December and agreed to the following:

1. That Government would fully comply with the 25th March, 2015 Tripartite Agreement signed by the three parties.
2. That the three Parties would make every effort to resolve the outstanding matters in the Tripartite Agreement. In this respect, the FTUC had listed out the issues in its correspondence dated 30th November, 2015 to Government and FCEF.
3. That the Tripartite Partners would meet for the whole week commencing 4th January 2016 to complete this task.
4. That the Government would have an amendment Bill in Parliament in its February Session and implement the amendments before the March Session of the ILO Governing Body.
5. That Government would direct all its Companies and Municipal Councils to resume check off deductions (Unions Subs) without delay as was the case with civil servants.
6. That the Government would act immediately to ensure that the Arbitration Court was functional with all other enabling structures and legislation.
7. That the Arbitration Tribunals would be strengthened with the appointment of two additional Tribunals to be based in the West and North to clear the backlog of Cases.
8. That Government would investigate the recent registration of company sponsored unions which were not in compliance with the current laws. Details were given.
9. That Government would investigate and halt any attempt my management in public enterprises to form bargaining units instead of workers joining or forming their own Unions.
10. That Government would act upon the application made almost 3 years ago for the amalgamation of PAFCO Employees Union and Fiji Sugar and General Workers Union (now known as National Union of Workers). This process normally would take no more than one week and is being intentionally blocked by Government.

The Government was to report back to the Tripartite Partners by the 4th of January on items 8, 9 and 10. Unfortunately, the FCEF and FTUC were advised on 24th December, 2015 by the Acting Permanent Secretary for Labour that the future meetings would be handled by the Chair of ERAB who is the Solicitor General and works on directions of the Attorney General. The ERP at Section 8 (5) clearly states that the Permanent Secretary for Labour is the Chairperson of ERAB. The Solicitor General cannot Chair ERAB.

The FTUC list of issues included amendments sought in the Employment Relations (amendment) Act 2015 which were not in compliance with the ILO Core Conventions. Other matters on the list included the omissions in the Amendment Act. These were namely:

i. the reinstatement of all Disputes pending before the Tribunal at the time of the imposition of the ENI Decree
ii. the reinstatement of all Collective Agreements that were nullified by the ENI Decree
iii. the reinstatement of registration of Unions that were deregistered by the ENI Decree and
iv. the right of workers who were wronged or unfairly treated during the life of the ENI Decree to report disputes and seek redress through the disputes procedure in the Employment Relations Promulgation (ERP).

These are matters of ensuring justice is available to all workers and that there should be no discrimination.

The FTUC reiterates that the Essential Industries Decree was unjust and wrong. It did no good to Fiji’s reputation nor to its economy. It was merely imposed to kill the Trade Union Movement. It failed. Government, and here I single out the Attorney General’s obsession of ensuring that he alone has the power and that no other institution or organisation should challenge that power. This is what we call dictatorship. We call on the Attorney General to step down from his high horse and respect the rights of all citizens and do the right thing. We call on him to honour the Agreement he negotiated with FTUC and consented to its signing by the then Minister for Labour.

The AG in all his utterances has failed to even acknowledge the Agreement with FTUC and FCEF. The FTUC calls upon the AG to explain why he is not prepared to comply with the very Agreement he negotiated and agreed to. Why has he interfered with the work of the Minister for Labour? The Prime Ministers claim that 2015 was the first year of true democracy rings hollow when Fiji was listed as one of the 5 worst countries for violations of workers’ rights by the ILO. Fiji continues to be on the ILO agenda for serious violations of workers’ rights and is on the verge of being investigated by an ILO Commission of Inquiry. One cannot claim true democracy without respect for human rights. Workers’ rights are part of human rights.

The ILO Tripartite Mission is to arrive in the Country on 25th January 2016. The FTUC looks forward to meeting the Mission and presenting its report. We continue to call on the ILO to decide on a Commission of Inquiry should no progress be made in resolving the impasse. There must be tangible actions taken by Government to comply. Promises by Government hold no value whatsoever.

Felix Anthony
National Secretary

10 Comments
Pita
5/1/2016 06:03:05 pm

The FTUC made a genuine attempt at dialogue under the agreement and in good faith accepted promises by the Labour Minister, who incidentally has more commercial and leadership experience than the AG, that his Ministry wud try to get approved in Cabinet Suddenly The AG removes negotiating power from the Minster and takes it upon himself. The FTUC is right to call on the ILO to enquire into the Fiji situation. Khaiyum's Fiji needs to be named and shamed into behaving like a responsible nation state

Reply
Fools of Paradise
5/1/2016 06:53:49 pm

Power hungry arrogant moron does it again , so what is new in 2016

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maropito
5/1/2016 07:53:39 pm

American and Russians was not able to stop the Taliban

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Chiku
5/1/2016 08:08:53 pm

What the FTUC is saying is right. But by now they should know the tinpot dictator of Fiji the AG Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum is not capable of doing the honourable thing or the right thing by the citizens and workers in the country. He should not be asked to step down from his high horse. They should demand he steps down from government altogether. The man is unfit for leadership. He has imposed himself on the people of Fiji with the backing of the guns of Bainimarama. And a rigged election. The fight against the dictatorship is far from ended as this case demonstrates.

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Rajend Naidu
5/1/2016 08:27:26 pm

Editor,
The great thinker Einstein said " the craving for power which characterises the governing class in every nation is hostile to any limitation of their national sovereignity( power )".
That is precisely the kind of leadership that characterises the governing class ( of two ) in Fiji . Their craving for power has no real check and balance in Fiji, the paraphernalia of parliamentary democracy notwithstanding,
The dictatorship of two is hostile to any attempts to limit their unfettered power. Their style of leadership is we call the shots you all follow quietly without question and without criticism.
Now what kind of " true democracy " is that?
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

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Samjho
5/1/2016 09:26:13 pm

Should anybody be surprised if Dictator Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum has removed Labour Minister and replaced him with Sarvadal Sharma the solicitor general to act as chief negotiator?
Sarvadal Sharma has been Khaiym's political pimp from day one of the dictator's rise to power. The man has no moral compass.

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rajend naidu
5/1/2016 10:09:16 pm

Editor,
The other day I said in Australia a citizen can write a letter to editor calling a politician a moron to illustrate the nature and extent of free speech in Australia's democracy. Today I read in the letters column another citizen describing some mediocre ministers as " political apes" ( DCMildern ct 6/01). And yet another citizen tells us why these politicians are described thus : they display " a personality that is definitely not suited to high government office" ( Bruce Ingrey smh 6/01).
Does Fiji have politicians who fit the same description?
Can the citizens exercise their right to free speech to describe them in the same manner?
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

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Dekho
6/1/2016 09:03:26 am

Bluffing again! And again, And again. Well nothing surprising about that. BLUFFING has been Aiyaz Khaiyum's modus operandi. He is a pathological liar. So bluffing is what he does - naturally!

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Tomasi
6/1/2016 03:02:20 pm

Let's hope that this boy and now Fiji's dictator, from Yavulo in Sigatoka, changes his behaviour while he still can. It will be a very sad day for him and his family to find this pathological liar crying before a judge or in prison soon. A very sad case of history repeating itself and people being unable or refusing to learn from history.

However, the question is: Is Khaiyum really more powerful than the people of Fiji? Are we going to allow this dictator and his puppet to continue to bluff some more and deceive and scheme again and again?? Are the people too numb or dumb to take remedial action before things get worse?

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On-Song
7/1/2016 04:42:39 am

The Elections Office has now taken over the election process for Union officials making the office bearers more Legit than ever before. SO WHY the need for Govt. to continue with the enforced decrees, curb union activities and not allow free association?? Workers have become poorer for not being effectively represented because this Govt. took away their bargaining rights for better deals.

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