Council hopeful for wage increase by August

Fiji’s Wages Council is hoping that their proposed wage increase for workers would come into effect on August 15.

This was confirmed to FijiLive by Council Chairman Father Kevin Barr.

“The members of the 10 Wages Councils planned an increase in the wages of all those workers covered by that Wages Council,” said Father Barr.

“It is not across-the-board percentage increase but is specific to each industry,” he said.

"If  workers were to receive wages to keep them out of poverty that is above the poverty line of $185 a week then their wage should be above $4.00 an hour," he said.

"If the new Wage Regulation orders are accepted then some but not many workers will be paid around $4.00 an hour," he said.

He also said the lowest paid will be those in the garment industry and the second lowest are those in the security industry while those  better paid  are in the mining and quarrying industry and the sawmilling industry.

However Father Barr said he is not at liberty to reveal what these proposed increases are because they are yet to be gazetted by government.

The Wages Council covers 60 per cent of all workers in full-time employment while 30 per cent were covered by unions and 10 per cent are not represented.

By Mereani Gonedua