The continued unlawful deductions and wage theft underscores the importance of empowering labour officers under the Employment Relations Act, says Finance Sector Managerial Staff Association national secretary Sailesh Naidu.
Mr Naidu made these remarks during the association’s submission at this week’s Employment Relations Amendment Act consultations in Lautoka, outlining the context of ongoing wage concerns.
He said a recent conversation with a group of hotel industry workers in the Western Division revealed that their employer charged each worker $4 per day for transportation to and from the workplace.
Male workers were required to pay $35 for a T-shirt uniform, while female workers pay $90 for a dress and sulu.
Mr Naidu said the company provided swimming and diving equipment to divers and water sports workers, but charges $300 for replacement when the equipment becomes worn out or damaged.
By empowering labour officers to issue compliance notices, Mr Naidu said workers would not suffer similar hardships.
“We note and support the proposed changes in Section 19(5)(f) of the Amendment Bill, which is a move in the right direction,” he said.
Mr Naidu said the association strongly supported the introduction of higher penalties for employers who engaged in such practices.
“It must also be noted that there is currently no fixed penalty for breaches of Section 47 of the ERA, which allows wage theft to go unpunished in many cases. The amendments must address this gap.”
