Good sense has prevailed.

After months of sabre-rattling in a tense standoff over labour reforms, members of the tripartite group have signed a significant agreement.

It means that the threat of an International Labour Organisation Commission of Inquiry into Fiji has been lifted.

This has come as a huge relief to many Fijians because an inquiry will derail the progress we have achieved so far and cause irreparable harm to our economy.

The bottom line is that when the economy suffers, industries struggle, jobs dry up, workers and their families find it hard to make ends meet. It has a domino effect.

This must have been on the minds of Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) general secretary Felix Anthony, CEO of Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation Nesbitt Hazelman and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum before they signed the Joint Implementation Report late on Friday night in Suva.

They should all be commended for putting the interest of the workers and the nation first. It’s evident from the agreement that there has been a give-and-take approach in a genuine bid to find a solution. They know that a strong sustainable economy is a pre-requisite to a robust labour movement. We must create the right environment first before we can start thinking of improving pay and work conditions.

The Singapore model offers us a lot of positives that will help us build on the momentum of the Friday accord.

The Singaporean labour market is productivity driven. It’s stability is based on a tripartite agreement that is legally binding on all partners. That is the key and something that our tripartite group may consider going forward.

The productivity clause in the agreement ensures that the workers fulfill their responsibilities and obligations.

They are rewarded when they attain their KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). There are times, for reasons beyond everyone’s control, when despite all the efforts, the workers and employers still fall short of their targets. A form of subsidy, Government or otherwise, could be set up to cover any shortfalls. This system ensures that the workers are not unfairly penalised and the employers’ long-term interests are protected.

One of interesting features of the tripartite agreement is the removal of all references to Bargaining Units in the Employment Relations Promulgation Amendment Act 2015.

This was a contentious issue for the FTUC because it was seen as a deliberate attempt to split trade union solidarity.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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