The Fiji Public Service Association (FPSA) has submitted a strike notice to the Registrar of Trade Unions amid ongoing disputes with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS). In a communication to over 300 members, FPSA secretary-general Judith Kotobalavu expressed their deep frustration with the prolonged delays in addressing their grievances.
Kotobalavu remarked that the association has been waiting for eight months, hoping for a prompt resolution to the issues at hand. She emphasized concerns regarding the 2023 Job Evaluation Exercise (JEE) report, which has not been shared or discussed with FPSA members at FRCS, raising doubts about the rationale behind the proposed new salary structures for staff.
The JEE was completed by FRCS in December 2023 and suggested a new salary band in line with the finance and banking industry’s standards. “This is a significant governance issue at FRCS, necessitating transparency and accountability to our members,” Kotobalavu stated.
Due to the ongoing delays in resolving critical matters that have significantly impacted members, the FPSA has decided to take industrial action as a final recourse. A meeting held last week with FRCS members resulted in a vote in favor of striking.
Questions directed to Udit Singh, CEO of Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, regarding the situation remained unanswered. However, in an earlier communication with FPSA in August, he indicated that the issues raised had been forwarded to the board of directors for review, noting that the directors had some queries that the management team was currently addressing.