THE Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions (FICTU) is not recognised as the representative for Fiji employees, says the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC).
FTUC president Daniel Urai said, therefore, if FICTU signed a tripartite agreement with Government and the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation, it would not change anything.
“They are not and were not part of the initial signatories in the first agreement signed in Geneva in March,” Mr Urai said, referring to a tripartite document signed in March by then Labour Minister Jioje Konrote, Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation CEO Nesbitt Hazelman and FTUC general secretary Felix Anthony in Geneva this year. “We are continuing discussions with the new Labour Minister Semi Koroilavesau because we feel he is sincere in his desire to address the serious labour law issues we have in the country.”
Mr Urai said Government was wasting valuable time.
“All they (Government) have to do is honour the agreement that was signed in March instead of stalling and trying to get organisations like FICTU to sign an agreement they were never a part of from the beginning.
“FTUC has made a commitment to work with Mr Koroilavesau to address all the issues and we will work with him in uplifting a commission of inquiry.”
