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Fiji Wages Council chairman Father Kevin Barr says comments he made on International Women’s Day for wages paid to cleaners and house girls to be regulated was misread by the media.
Some media outlets reported Barr saying cleaners and house girls were getting between $100 to $175 a week.
“What I had said was that the minimum wage for those on the poverty line is currently $175,” Barr said.
He said the idea of having a Wages Council for Women domestic workers was discussed at the forum.
“I did agree to this idea sounding good but did not mention any specific wage for them to work under.”
He added setting up the Council would be a long process and needed human resources to get it off the ground.
“After such a council is formed, they will have to put forward proposals to the Employers Relations Council after which it will have to await cabinet approval,” Barr said.
He said they are currently working on setting up a Wages Council for Miscellaneous Workers who are not covered under the Domestic Workers council.
