The Fiji Teachers Union (FTU) has slammed the Coalition Government for asking workers to sacrifice again while weakening their retirement security and failing to deliver for teachers in the 2026-2027 National Budget, despite the record $883 million allocation to the education sector.
General secretary Muniappa Goundar said the budget failed to recognise the contribution of teachers and public servants and instead shifted the burden onto workers.
“This is not a budget for workers,” he said. “It is not a budget for teachers. It is certainly not a budget worthy of a Government seeking another mandate from the people in an election year.”
Mr Goundar said the Government’s decision to reduce the employer Fiji National Provident Fund contribution from 10 per cent to 8 per cent for the next 12 months amounted to an indirect cut to workers’ remuneration.
“While Government may argue that employees’ take-home pay remains unchanged, the reality is that every worker will receive 2 per cent less in retirement savings from their employer.”
He said the Government, as Fiji’s largest employer, should have been leading efforts to protect workers’ retirement savings instead of reducing its own contribution.
Mr Goundar said teachers had expected the budget to address long-standing concerns, including fair salary progression, retention and equity adjustments, increasing workloads, teacher shortages, improved conditions of service, and measures to attract and retain young graduates.
“Those submissions have largely been ignored.”
