Councils can expect modest increase: FEF

Fiji Commerce and Employers' Federation chief executive, Nesbitt Hazelman says all ten councils under the new Wages Regulation Order (WRO) can expect a modest increase.

Speaking to FijiLive, Hazelman described the discussion with members of the Wages Council as encouraging.

“The various councils have met and recommendation will be forwarded to the Minister for his final endorsement before it become official,” Hazelman said.

“The Federation is extremely encouraged by the discussion and the decisions reached. I am told that all council can expect a modest increase.”

The WRO was initially planned to be implemented on 15 August, 2012, but this was postponed by the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, in accordance with section 54 (b) of the Employment Relations Promulgation 2007, in order for the respective councils to review all submissions, including a significant number of objections, made by the stakeholders.

This review is expected to be completed by the end of this week after which the final WROs will be implemented.

In an earlier release,  Labour Minister, Jone Usamate reiterated the Government's commitment to social justice for workers in ensuring fair wages that are also affordable to employers.

An 8 to 15 per cent increase has been proposed for the 10 employment sectors including, Printing Trades, Wholesale & Retail Trades, Hotel & Catering Trades, Garment Industry, Sawmilling & Logging Industry, Road Transport, Building & Civil & Electrical Engineering Trades, Manufacturing Industry, Mining & Quarrying Industry and Security Services.

In addition to the WROs for the ten sectors, Government had said they will “establish for the first time a National Minimum Wage in its commitment to alleviate poverty for all as committed in the Peoples Charter for Change, Peace and Progress.”

By Lavenia Vuadreu