Transcript
Addressing Parliament this week, National Federation Party leader said the Employment Relations Act and Political Parties Decree limited the rights of trade union leaders in Fiji.
Biman Prasad says the government is "breaking the workers and the trade union harmony" in the country.
"They've been lying about the trade union movement. They've been lying about the workers' rights. They've been lying to the ILO. They've been lying all over the place. Let's be honest. The trade union movement in this country has been applying for permits for peaceful marches. But they have not even bothered to give a reason as to why the permit for marches has not been granted."
During a heated debate, Mr Prasad warned that the weakening of the rights of workers and trade unions will lead to "problems with low wages, problems with industrial relations harmony and issues with respect to the confidence in the economy".
"They run a workshop and say that we're going to review the essential national industries list. They don't do that. So what do the trade union leaders do in this country? And then they expect the trade union leaders to go and sit with them on the labour advisory board."
In 2016, the government signed a tripartite agreement with unions to address issues of labour law reform and essential national industries issues.
The agreement was to provide the unions with an equal seat at the table.
But opposition MP Lenora Qereqeretabua told the House the tripartite agreement is not working.
"The unions I believe are boycotting the ERAB because government is not complying with the timelines in respect of the review of labour laws."
However Attorney-General Aiyaz Saiyed-Khaiyum says the unions' refusal to participate on the board is "political".
Former employment minister Jone Usamate also refutes Ms Qereqeretabua's claims.
"She has basically stated that the unions have not been participating into the employment relations advisory report because they were talking about the permit. The refusal to get the permit. The ministry of employment does not have anything to do with permit. If you want the tripartite mechanism to function you need to come to the party, sit and make it."
Mr Usamate urges the opposition and the unions to contribute to the tripartite discussions.
"If you want to see the proof of the pudding, you look at unemployment rate in this country. The last findings on unemployment put youth unemployment in this country at only 4.5 percent. That is the proof of the pudding."
The government this month suspended five trade unions for failing to submit their annual audited reports.
It said the unions also faced penalties and deregistration if they continued to fail to comply with legislation.
Meanwhile, the head of the National Workers Union Felix Anthony is due in court next month charged with malicious behaviour under the Public Order Act.
Mr Anthony, who has pleaded not guilty, was among unionists arrested last year after members protested the termination of over 2000 jobs at the Fiji water Authority.
