Police and correction officers should have full workers’ rights except the right to strike, says Fiji Trade Union Congress national secretary Felix Anthony.
In submissions to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on the proposed Employment Relations Bill in Suva, Mr Anthony said under the current legislation, police officers were not allowed to join trade unions.
“Section 3 (a) of the draft Bill talks about inserting ‘in certain circumstances’ and we are saying that ‘certain circumstances’ ought to be removed from the Bill,” Mr Anthony said.
“They ought to be given full rights. The only area that all agreed on, and I think the tripartite partners also agreed on, is that they don’t have the right to go on strike.
“That is something that is already included in the Bill.”
Mr Anthony said apart from that, police officers should have the right to pursue any grievances through lawful channels, which are in the Bill. “They should have the right to collective bargaining again through the normal processes, that is part of the Bill.”
Mr Anthony said the Bill did not allow the officers to engage in collective bargaining.
“Not only that, the Bill talks about the police or the correctional officer reporting a grievance on their own.
“What we are saying is that if they have a union or association, they should also be allowed to report a grievance (through that).
“That is basically the area where we are saying they ought to be given the full rights other than the right to strike.”
