THE International Labour Organization (ILO) will engage in talks with the Fiji Government to determine a date and subsequent visit of a contact mission that was to visit the country after a meeting in 2019.
Speaking at the Employment Relations Advisory Board (ERAB) meeting at Holiday Inn in Suva yesterday, ILO director Pacific Colin Fenwick said a contact mission was initially supposed to visit after a meeting between ILO and the then Fiji delegation.
He said while Fiji had ratified a number of ILO conventions, the country’s record of drafting the conventions into national law was not good. “Any member state, Fiji included, which ratifies convention then has to have another conversation in the other direction,” he said.
“That’s the implementation in law and practice of the commitments that have been voluntarily undertaken. And in that respect, I think it’s fair to say that the record has not been as good in recent years as it might.
“There is a list of things that our supervisory bodies would like to see improved in terms of legislation and in terms of practice. Now, the first thing in terms of practice that we would like to see is regular meetings with the Employment Relations Advisory Board (ERAB).
“In that respect, I am encouraged, as will be my colleagues. But there are some from the point of view of ILO standards and as your friend and an honest friend, but I can tell you that there are some significant challenges.
“This is what our supervisory bodies have said repeatedly.” He said a majority of challenges pertained to the application of Convention 87, which detailed the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise.
Mr Fenwick said Fiji was asked to appear before the ILO committee in 2019. “Fiji was asked to accept a direct contact mission to follow up on what the conference committee included in terms of some of the weaknesses in the application.
“So if we haven’t already, I daresay we as an office will engage with the minister to inquire as to when and whether the government is ready to accept the contact mission.
“We hope obviously, and I’m more than willing to engage with you and your senior staff to work out what might be required to achieve that what would be ideal timing, if you are able to accept. There are many changes that we would like to see legislated and practised.”
