The change in the legislation related to fixed contracts under the proposed Employment Relations Bill puts workers at a disadvantage, says Fiji Trades Union Congress national secretary Felix Anthony.
In submissions before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on the proposed Employment Relations Bill in Suva, Mr Anthony said the amendments allowed for multiple fixed contracts to be offered by employers instead of the current one fixed-term contract.
“Section 28(2)(a), which talks about ‘to a contract for a fixed period which is not renewable’, is about indefinite contracts,” said Mr Anthony.
“The current provision in the law says, ‘to a contract for one fixed period’. The Bill talks about ‘for a fixed period’.
“What we are saying is that this would give employers an opportunity to have multiple fixed contracts.
“If one three-month contract ends, then you can sign on for another three months, and it goes on and on.
“This practice should not be condoned because it is not fair.”
Mr Anthony said the current law, under the Employment Relations Act, states that a worker can be employed on only one fixed-term contract.
“And it must specifically state that the contract is not renewable, and if it does not say that, then it should be an indefinite contract.
“There was no agreement on removing the word ‘one’ and we are submitting that we retain that ‘one fixed term’ which is the current provision under the Employment Relations Act.”
