Any changes made to the existing Employment Relations Act, as alluded to by Government, will create a negative domino effect in the Fiji economy, says the Fiji-Australia Business Council.
In a statement, FABC said this would threaten all the hard work that the private sector has been doubled to recover and grow further.
In supporting similar calls made earlier by the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) and the Fiji Hotel Tourism Association (FHTA), the Council is gravely concerned about the proposed amendments.
“For FABC, when there is a lack of transparency and considerable consultations on serious matters such as changes to the Employment Relations Act (ERA), it dismantles the very principles on which the Council stands,” it said.
“FABC fully supports FCEF and FHTA on calling out the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations for not just the huge fines of up to $500,000 and imprisonment of up to 20 years that have been included in the draft bill to amend the ERA, but also mainly the lack of transparency on these proposed amendments, and the severe lack of consultations with business owners and leaders.”