Pay rise for 247 AFL workers

Airports Fiji today announced pay rises for 247 low-income workers following a review by an independent consultant.

Those who will benefit from this include baggage handlers, firemen, security officers, plumbers, painters, carpenters and drivers.

Of the 247, 225 earn less than$15k and 97 earn less than $10k a year.

They will get different pay rises depending on their personal circumstances, with baggage handlers receiving more than $2k a year and some technical officers getting $8k increases.

Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama made the pay rise announcement in Nadi today, saying some workers had not had a pay review since 1999.

“This is a question of basic fairness. It does nothing for the morale in any organisation when some people are seen to benefit more than others,” Bainimarama said.

Meanwhile, AFL’s acting chairman Faiz Khan said that the pay rises would cost the company $725,000 a year.

By Indrani Krishna