Labour reforms to lift rating, says Employment Minister

Fiji's rating of four on the International Trade Union Confederation's (ITUC) Global Rights Index 2026 could soon improve following planned reforms to employment laws, according to Minister for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations Agni Deo Singh.

The index, released this week, assessed 151 countries and ranks them from one (best) to 5+ (no guarantee of rights). A rating of four is assigned to countries that systematically violate workers' rights.

Mr Singh said the ranking stemmed from changes made to the Employment Relations Act 2007 through decrees introduced by the Bainimarama Government without consultation.

"The Employment Relations Act 2007 was unilaterally amended by decree from 2010 onwards by the then regime.

"After the 2014 election, all those decrees became Acts," Mr Singh told the Fiji Sun.

He said the Coalition Government had spent the past two years addressing the issues through the Employment Relations Advisory Board and extensive public consultations aimed at aligning Fiji's laws with International Labour Organisation standards.

"We have completed the amendments through the normal process. They are now with the Solicitor-General's Office for final drafting and will be tabled in the next session of Parliament," Mr Singh said.

"Once passed, all the anomalies will be history."

The Employment Relations (Amendment) Bill is expected to restore collective bargaining and trade union rights that were removed under previous legislative changes.

Mr Singh said the reforms would strengthen workers' ability to negotiate wages and employment conditions.

The ITUC's 2026 index also found that 72 per cent of the 151 countries assessed denied workers access to justice.

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