Salary increases included in new Fiji Pine master agreement

A new master agreement between the Fiji Pine Group and the National Union of Workers (NUW) has been hailed as a significant achievement for industrial relations and worker welfare in Fiji.

The agreement covers employees of Fiji Pine Limited, Tropik Wood Industries Limited and Tropik Wood Products Limited, providing certainty and stability for salaried staff across the three companies.

Chairman Rakuita Vakalalabure said the successful conclusion of the agreement marked a milestone for the group and reflected its commitment to fair treatment, responsible management and strong employer-employee relations.

He said retaining skilled workers remained a strategic priority, particularly as Fiji continued to face skills shortages.

Mr Vakalalabure also commended union representatives and the human resources team for conducting negotiations in a constructive and respectful manner.

National Union of Workers national secretary Felix Anthony said the agreement should serve as a model for other employers in the region.

He thanked management for engaging in negotiations in good faith and said the agreement provided workers with greater certainty over their employment conditions following a lengthy negotiation process.

Mr Anthony praised Fiji Pine management for recognising workers' contributions and encouraged other employers to adopt similar approaches to employee welfare and engagement.

What the agreement covers

Mr Anthony said the collective agreement includes:

• Salary structures and wage increases;
• Annual leave entitlements;
• Sick leave provisions;
• Overtime arrangements;
• Allowances for unused sick leave; and
• Other employment terms and conditions.

The agreement now covers both wage-earning and salaried employees, expanding union representation beyond its traditional coverage.

Salary increases follow job evaluation

Mr Vakalalabure said a comprehensive job evaluation was undertaken across all levels of the companies, from the lowest-paid employees to senior staff.

The review involved union participation and external expertise and resulted in:

• A structured salary framework;
• Fairer wage alignment with economic indicators; and
• Across-the-board salary increases for employees.

The salary adjustments have been incorporated into the newly signed agreements.

Both management and union representatives described the agreement as a strong foundation for continued cooperation, trust and positive industrial relations.

Three separate agreements were signed to cover each company within the group. Both parties also committed to ongoing collaboration to monitor the effectiveness of the arrangements and address future issues.

The agreement is being viewed as a benchmark for fair employment practices and collaborative labour relations within Fiji's forestry and wood-processing sector.