PM Rabuka assures Employment Relations Bill next sitting

The Government is expected to table the Employment Relations Amendment Bill during the next sitting of Parliament later this year, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says.

Mr Rabuka made the announcement during the 51st Biennial Delegates Conference of the Fiji Trades Union Congress at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi last Saturday.

He said the Government was committed to strengthening social dialogue, workers’ rights and inclusive economic development.

Mr Rabuka said restoring trust and engagement between the Government, workers and employers had led to significant progress in tripartite cooperation and efforts to align Fiji’s labour standards with international benchmarks.

“For this reason, we have restored social dialogue and strengthened tripartite engagement through key institutions such as the Employment Relations Advisory Board and the National Occupational Health and Safety Board, ensuring that workers once again sit as equal partners alongside employers and Government,” he said.

“This is the Fiji we believe in — a Fiji where engagement replaces exclusion, where dialogue replaces division, and where every stakeholder has a voice in shaping our collective future.”

Mr Rabuka said many workers had lived with uncertainty, frustration and neglect for too long, and the Government recognised those experiences.

“We are determined to establish a modern labour framework that protects rights, promotes fairness, strengthens resilience and aligns Fiji with international labour standards fit for the challenges of today and the future,” he said.

He acknowledged public interest surrounding the Employment Relations Amendment Bill and assured workers the legislation would be tabled without unnecessary delay.

“I assure workers around Fiji that the Bill will be tabled during the next sitting of Parliament later this year,” he said.

Mr Rabuka said the Government intended to honour its commitment to workers and continue reforms aimed at improving labour protections and workplace standards.