The chairman of the Fiji Roads Authority Board, Atunaisa Nayago, has expressed the authority’s willingness to address issues with the Construction, Energy, Timber Workers Union of Fiji (CETWUF) legally. In a statement, he acknowledged the recent claims by the union regarding discussions reaching a stalemate but refrained from providing specific details.
Nayago pointed out that the Employment Relations Act 2007 provides an organized mechanism for resolving disputes in a fair and effective manner. He emphasized the FRA’s preference to utilize this framework to manage the current disagreement, stressing the importance of maintaining the integrity of both parties involved.
He criticized the public airing of grievances, suggesting that using media to discuss disputes is unproductive and unprofessional, potentially coercing the other party instead of fostering a constructive solution.
Nayago’s comments follow a CETWUF press release from September 3, where national secretary John Paul reported that FRA employees had voted overwhelmingly in favor of potential strike action. Paul highlighted that since the FRA’s establishment in 2012, the government has allocated over $4 billion in funding.
In early 2023, CETWUF affiliated with FRA, and several discussions regarding employee terms and conditions took place. Paul expressed concern over the absence of a salary structure and performance management system within the FRA, which is funded by taxpayer money.
He also alleged that the FRA has failed to implement salary increments fairly and has ignored union requests for cost of living adjustments since 2017. Additionally, Paul noted that the Coalition Government’s promise to eliminate contract-based appointments within the civil service has not been followed by state-owned entities like the FRA, even amidst a labor shortage in the construction sector.
In the previous month, the union conducted a secret ballot for strike action, overseen by Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations officials at FRA workstations across the nation. Paul warned the public to expect disruptions in FRA operations in the upcoming months due to the ongoing conflict between the union and the authority.