Tripartite wage councils will be instrumental in achieving specific minimum wage rates for various industries across Fiji.
And Minister for Labour, Industrial Relations and Productivity Agni Deo Singh says the Coalition Government will work very closely with tripartite partners through effective social dialogue and genuine consultation.
“The re-establishment of tripartite wages councils to determine minimum wages for different sectors of the economy will no doubt be welcomed by the workers,” he told Parliament last week.
“As highlighted by His Excellency the President, my ministry will work with stakeholders to reinstate all industry-based wages councils in the country.
“The industry-based councils will work on a tripartite basis with representatives from Government, unions and employers. Their main goal would be to determine a decent minimum wage for the different sectors.”
He also responded to his predecessor’s earlier comments in Parliament, which alluded to Government’s inability to increase the minimum wage.
“I was totally surprised that honourable Bala talked about the minimum wage of $4 that came into force from January 1, 2023.
“It took the Bainimarama and the FijiFirst government 16 years to give the people of Fiji the national minimum wage of $4 per hour when in fact the Fiji Trades Union Congress had been demanding the minimum wage of $4 per hour for a very long time.
“The minimum wage was implemented without full participation of the tripartite and without the endorsement of the tripartite wages councils which has been dysfunctional for more than 10 years.”
He said all the tripartite machinery would be brought back for the betterment of all.
