The chairman of the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) Board, Atunaisa Nayago, stated that the FRA is willing to address issues with the Construction, Energy, Timber Workers Union of Fiji (CETWUF) through legal frameworks. In his statement, Nayago acknowledged the union’s recent social media communications indicating that negotiations had reached a standstill.
He emphasized that the Employment Relations Act 2007 provides a structured dispute resolution mechanism designed to handle such conflicts effectively and fairly. Nayago expressed a preference for utilizing this mechanism to manage the current deadlock, ensuring that all concerns are addressed while preserving the integrity of both parties involved.
Nayago noted that discussing disputes publicly is neither productive nor professional, suggesting that using media channels to express grievances might be seen as harassment or coercion, ultimately hindering constructive resolution.
His remarks followed a press release from CETWUF, dated September 3 and signed by national secretary John Paul, which indicated that union members at the FRA had voted overwhelmingly to consider strike action. Paul asserted that since its establishment in 2012, the FRA has received over $4 billion in government funding.
In early 2023, the FRA joined CETWUF, which led to several discussions regarding employees’ terms and conditions. Paul expressed concern over the absence of a fair salary structure and an effective performance management system within the FRA, highlighting that the management has not fairly applied salary increments and has neglected union requests for cost of living adjustments since 2017.
Furthermore, he critiqued the FRA’s adherence to contract-based appointments, contrary to the Coalition Government’s announcement to abolish such arrangements in the civil service, especially amidst a significant labor shortage in the construction industry.
Paul mentioned that last month, the union carried out a secret ballot for potential strike action, supervised by officials from the Ministry of Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations across FRA workstations nationwide. He regretted to inform the public that disruptions to FRA operations may occur in the coming months due to the ongoing conflict between the union and the authority.