Companies that neglect to pay employee wages are facing legal action, according to the Minister for Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations, Agni Deo Singh. The minister made this statement while addressing concerns about complaints from current and former workers of a security firm in Suva.
Meli Tamani Tuidraki, 45, a former security officer, revealed that he lost his job on Monday after addressing Pioneer Security Services director Rodney Nand regarding his unpaid salary. Tuidraki expressed his frustration, stating he is still waiting for the company to settle his dues to support his family.
“I have six family members who rely on me daily. On Tuesday, I prepared the last meal of rice and eggs for my son to take to school,” Tuidraki lamented. He added, “I told him that Tuesday was his last day at school as I can’t afford his bus fare anymore.” This marks the second instance where Tuidraki has not received his salary on time.
On Monday, he confronted Nand in a supermarket about his pay, detailing, “I have been employed with PSS since July last year, yet no contributions have been made to my Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF). During the confrontation, Mr. Nand struck my hat off, prompting me to defend myself, and he subsequently threatened to reduce my salary and terminated my employment immediately.”
Overwhelmed with emotion and urgency, Tuidraki reported his issues to the Ministry of Labour, FNPF, and sought help from media outlets. He stated that borrowing money would not solve his problems, and instead, he would have to look for food wherever possible for his next meal. Attempts to reach Nand at his home were unsuccessful, and he did not respond to calls or messages.