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There are some employers who are withholding wages so to increase their productivity during these difficult economic times, Wages Council Chairman Father Kevin Barr revealed.
Addressing employers at the Fiji Employers Federation (FEF) combined council meeting in Suva last Friday, Barr said the Council had been inundated with information from workers making this claim.
He said some workers have even claimed being threatened to choose between unemployment and decent wages.
He said there were a lot of good employers and that the Council was concerned about the industry and employers as it is with the interests of the workers.
“We don’t want to fight, we want to act in good faith and work together with the employers and other stakeholders,” Barr said.
He added employers needed to pay decent wages to their workers if they were to realise increased productivity.
Comments made at the meeting called for temporarily waiving the implementation of the 20 per cent increase in wage rate given the current economic climate.
Barr said every businesses wanted productivity.
“But we can’t do that if we’re not paying a decent wage,” he said.
He said it would be even more difficult for casual workers in rural areas who have children to send to school and food placed on the table.
“How can they truly increase their productivity if they are not getting any decent wages,” Barr said.
