The Suva Retailers Association supports the call made by the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation and Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association to consider the employers’ concerns by reviewing the proposed harsh elements of the amendments to the Employment Relations Act and collaborate on balanced solutions that protect workers while allowing businesses to thrive.
The majority of Suva Retailers Association members are MSMEs and employ more than 3,500 workers in the City.
However they say the revelation of proposed fines up to $500,000, imprisonment up to 20 years and by-passing of mediation services is very concerning for their 150 members.
They say the Non Disclosure Agreement that the Ministry of Employment has imposed on employer members to the Employment Relations Advisory Board, does not allow the Suva Retailers Association to engage freely with employer members of the Employment Relations Board to discuss the proposed amendments.
The Association is calling on the Government to release the proposed amendments to the ERA for wider public information and discussion.
They say their members continue to be impacted by the high cost of doing business, unavailability of skills and labour, low productivity and climatic events also with the cyclone season starting next month.
They also call for the return to the tripartite set up so the Employment Relations Advisory Board members can negotiate the amendments on behalf of the Association, transparently on the amendments to the ERA.
