The Employment Promulgation Relations Amendment Bill 2016 was passed in Parliament yesterday.

It was approved by 29 votes to 12 while nine abstained.

The bill also applied to employers including the Government, Government entities, local authorities and the sugar industry.

The Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, said in Parliament, the bill was essential after the Fijian Government had a successful joint implementation agreement in place between the Fiji Trades Union Congress and Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation.

“This also means that the agreement on the number of legal amendments needs to be carried out with the executive law in order to reflect the agreement that we have reached,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

“The bills once debated by Parliament and voted upon; once it becomes law, it will be then be used to demonstrate ILO and the worker organisations; that the Government has committed, the concessions that we have made and the agreement that we have achieved.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said some of the demands by the workers were being met in the bill; there would be a very good and harmonious relationship in the workplace.

Members of the Opposition opposed the bill. Among them was Niko Nawaikula who     said the bills should include that workers had human rights.

 The Bill provides:

– That ERP applies to all employers and workers in workplaces in Fiji including the Government, Government entities, local authorities and the sugar industry.

–   For registration of federation of trade unions and federation of employers

–  Freedom of association for all workers in an essential and service industry and provides for adjudication for their trade disputes by the Arbitration Court

–   Right for workers in an essential service and industry to form and join and enterprise union

–    Notice Periods for strikes reduced from 28 days to 14 days.

–   Bargaining units deleted from the law.

Edited by Nemani Delaibatiki

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