The Construction, Energy and Timber Workers Union of Fiji (CETWUF) is urgently calling on the Government to intervene in the crisis at Fletcher Higgins Fiji, highlighting that the redundancy of 175 workers directly threatens Fijian investments held through FNPF and Fijian Holdings Limited (FHL).
The company, which employs 580 workers, informed the union yesterday that it issued the redundancy notices after withdrawing from a Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) maintenance tender.
CETWUF union rep Salesh Naidu stated the move has sent shockwaves through the sector and stressed that the fallout extends beyond job losses.
“This is not just a foreign company downsizing; this is a Fijian-owned enterprise facing collapse,” Mr. Naidu said.
“We must remember that Fletcher Higgins is 50 percent locally owned—with 25 percent held by the workers’ own FNPF and another 25 percent by Fijian Holdings Limited. Every job lost and every dollar of loss directly impacts the savings of ordinary Fijians and our national investment portfolio.”
Mr. Naidu explained that the union was told the company’s FRA contract had been on a precarious month-to-month basis for the past nine months, with no long-term pricing agreement.
This, coupled with payment delays of up to 80 days against a contractual 30 days, has made the business unsustainable.
“The company has operated at a loss for two years because the value of works has been significantly reduced. We risk losing a market leader in quality road works and fair employment, which would be a severe blow to our local industry,” he said.
The union is calling on the Government to direct the FRA to engage in good-faith discussions with Fletcher Higgins to find a solution.
“We support empowering local contractors, but not at the expense of established, high-quality Fijian operators and the jobs they provide,” Mr. Naidu concluded.
“Failure to resolve this could lead to the loss of all 580 jobs and a significant devaluation of Fijian investments.”
