ILO hopeful on Fiji compliance

Transcript

The International Labour Organisation says there is room for the government of Fiji and the Trades Union Congress to achieve consensus on complying with standards of freedom of association.

A week-long ILO mission to Fiji has concluded, that was investigating why the union had refused to sign a required joint implementation plan.

Neither the ILO, the Union, the government nor the Fiji Commerce and Employers federation could be reached for comment, but our reporter Ben Robinson has been following this story.

Johnny Blades asked him why the ILO sent the mission to Fiji.

BEN ROBINSON: In March last year the Union, the Federation and the government signed what's known as the Tripartite Agreement on Labour Relations with the ILO. The three parties were bound to discuss problems and solutions to Fiji's labour laws and submit a joint implementation report to the ILO in June. However the parties couldn't agree on the text, so two separate reports were sent to the ILO, one signed by the government and the federation, the other by the Union. The Union said the Government's report was factually incorrect and it accused the Government of breaking off their dialogue. The ILO gave the three parties until November to submit a joint report, and if this was not done it threatened to establish a commission of inquiry into labour relations in Fiji. Another report was prepared which the union refused to sign, so in November the ILO resolved to send the mission to FIJI to investigate the problem.

JOHNNY BLADES: So what did the mission find?

BR: In a statement, the ILO says its satisfied that the three parties have made efforts to engage in full and frank discussion, and open dialogue. It says it's been able to ascertain a full view of the obstacles to the submission of a joint report and that their is significant room for the parties to achieve consensus and remove the obstacles. The ILO invited the parties to continue their efforts in good faith towards submitting the report before the next meeting of the ILO's governing body in March.

JB: If that deadline is not, what happens?

BR: By then it looks likely that the ILO would have to establish a Commission of Inquiry. This is something that both the Federation and the Government have said they want to avoid as it could deter other nations from trading with Fiji if their labour laws are in question. Now, It seems that government are willing to make some concessions. In a statement released yesterday, The Fiji Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, says a provision which allows union fees to be deducted from employee pay checks is now in place. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says the government will also reinstate grievances before the employment tribunal which were terminated by the Essential National Industries Decree of 2011. He says a law allowing the notice period for strikes to be reduced from 28 days to 14 days will be enacted.