The Registrar of Trade Unions has twice rejected an application by the Fiji Teachers Union (FTU) to take a ballot for strike action.
FTU members have been informed that the first application was lodged on June 11 and the second one on June 26.
“The notice of secret ballot was officially filed on the 11th of June to the Registrar of Trade Unions who is none other than the Permanent Secretary for Labour, Productivity and Employment Relations,” states the FTU in a newsletter issued to members recently.
“Our issues were salary, and allowances increment of 30 per cent to our members, failure by the employer to meet and negotiate on the 2022 and 2023 log of claims.”
“The Registrar of Trade Unions after scrutinising FTU’s application wrote back to us on the 25th of June stating that ‘be advised, that after careful considerations, I note that you have not exhausted the internal dispute process, as such I regret to inform that my office will not be able to supervise this ballot request’.”
The FTU was urged to undertake an internal dispute resolution mechanisms and good faith bargaining process as provided for under section 149 and schedule 6 of the Employment Relations Act 2007 to address the concerns effectively.
“The reasons given for the non-issuance of the mandate for strike ballot did not go well with the working committee and therefore we wrote again to the Registrar on the 26th of June disputing his rejection of the secret ballot.”
On July 4, the registrar informed FTU it would not approve the application for secret ballot.
“Members must note that if the secret ballot was obtained from the Registrar of Trade Unions, it would have been valid for six months which would have given the union ample time to keep up with the negotiations with the relevant authorities.
“Good faith bargaining is an important tool for any pay adjustment to the membership. This process must carry on as we have not exhausted it currently.”
FTU informed its members that they must also understand that the unions were shunned for the past 16 years and that was the very reason that as a union FTU were not able to negotiate with the employer.
The Registrar of Trade Unions is also the Permanent Secretary for Labour, Productivity and Workplace Relations.
