The Fiji Public Service Association (FPSA) has submitted a strike notice to the Registrar of Trade Unions due to ongoing grievances with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS). In a communication to over 300 members, FPSA Secretary-General Judith Kotobalavu expressed significant frustration regarding the prolonged delay in addressing their concerns.
Kotobalavu indicated that the association had been waiting for eight months and was optimistic about a prompt resolution to the outstanding issues. She highlighted that the 2023 Job Evaluation Exercise (JEE) report had not been shared or discussed with FPSA members at FRCS, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the new salary implementation for employees.
FRCS completed its JEE in December 2023 and proposed a revised salary band based on standards from the finance and banking sector. Kotobalavu emphasized that the lack of information shared with members represents a serious governance issue that undermines transparency and accountability.
Given the continued delays in resolving these critical matters, the FPSA has decided to take decisive action. A meeting held last week culminated in a vote among members at FRCS, which supported the notion of strike action.
Inquiries sent to FRCS CEO Udit Singh regarding the situation have yet to be addressed. However, a prior response from Singh in early August acknowledged that the FPSA’s concerns had been forwarded to the board of directors for review, with some inquiries pending responses from management.