FTUC: Employers shouldn’t have power to block strikes
FTUC national secretary Felix Anthony says the Employment Relations Bill 2025 gives employers undue power to stop strikes by filing disputes, undermining workers’ fundamental right to industrial action.
Monday 13 October 2025 | 21:30
Members of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs and representatives of the Fiji Trades Union Congress in Parliament on October 13, 2025.
Photo: Parliament of Fiji
Employers should not have the power to veto workers' strike action by simply filing a dispute report.
This was highlighted by the Fiji Trade Union Congress (FTUC) National Secretary Felix Anthony yesterday during his submission to the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on the Employment Relations Bill 2025.
"The employer has virtually the right to veto any strike action by simply writing a dispute and saying we have a dispute with the union on this matter because we can't agree on the pay rise or something like that," Mr Anthony said.
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"The employer must not have that right. That's not their right. It's the workers' right, and they should not have the right to veto any right to strike."
He explained that unions must follow strict procedures including giving 21 days notice for secret ballot, conducting the ballot, and for essential services, providing another 21-day strike notice.
However, employers can stop the strike by simply filing a dispute report during this period.
"In between that period, the employer simply writes a letter of dispute to say we have a dispute on these issues. That then denies workers to take any action. We say that that's not fair," Mr Anthony said.
The congress proposed that once a union gives notice of industrial action, employers should be barred from filing disputes that would block the strike.
The right to strike is recognised as a fundamental worker right under International Labour Organisation conventions.
Feedback: kaneta.naimatau@fijisun.com.fj
