SINCE 2021, the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations has received more than 270 labour complaints from migrant workers.
Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh told Parliament that the vast majority of these cases had been successfully resolved.
“We have a proven track record of recovering unpaid wages to these migrant workers, having recovered a total of $118,426.40,” Mr Singh said. “Local recoveries were more than $6million in the last five years.”
He said the Coalition Government’s commitment to protecting migrant workers was absolute and non-negotiable.
“We have moved beyond mere rhetoric and are taking decisive, concrete action.
“We are not only enforcing the law to recover stolen wages and resolve disputes but are also systematically building an ironclad system designed to prevent exploitation from occurring in the first place. This government will not tolerate the exploitation of any worker on Fijian soil.
“We are sending an unequivocal message to all employers: comply with our laws and uphold the dignity of every worker, or face the full, coordinated force of the law.
“Our measures are being implemented, our enforcement is active, and our resolve is steadfast.”
He said Government was committed to ensuring that all workers, including the migrant workforce, were protected by laws and treated with dignity and fairness.
