Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions (FICTU) says that the Employment Relations Amendment Bill limits worker’s rights to strike.

FICTU General Secretary Attar Singh said declaring strike as an unlawful act should not be decided by the State.

He made these statements while presenting the Unions submission to the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights yesterday.

“The right to go on strike is the integral part of Freedom of Association Convention,”Mr Singh said.

“The International Labour Organization (ILO) has been telling us as a State that that part of the law must be amended, such that the power to declare strikes unlawful must go to an independent body,”he said.

Mr Singh raised a number of concerns regarding the Bill such as the definition and lists of companies and industries listed in essential servicers, provisions on time given to report a matter or any grievance to arbitration courts should also be reviewed and etc.

The submissions ended yesterday and now the Committee is expected to present its report to Parliament during the July sitting.

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