The chairman of the Fiji Roads Authority Board, Atunaisa Nayago, stated that the FRA is willing to address issues with the Construction, Energy, Timber Workers Union of Fiji (CETWUF) within the legal framework available. In a recent statement, he did not elaborate on the details of the disputes but acknowledged the union’s recent claims that negotiations have stalled.
According to Nayago, the Employment Relations Act 2007 provides a structured mechanism for dispute resolution that can efficiently and fairly address such matters. He emphasized that the FRA prefers to utilize this mechanism to navigate the current deadlock and ensure the issues are dealt with professionally.
Nayago remarked that public statements regarding disputes are not conducive to productive outcomes and may be viewed as harassment or coercion, which does not aid in resolving the situation. His comments follow a CETWUF press release from September 3, where national secretary John Paul indicated that FRA employees represented by the union had voted overwhelmingly in favor of potential strike action.
John Paul noted that since its establishment in 2012, the FRA has received over $4 billion from the government. He mentioned that after joining CETWUF earlier this year, discussions began regarding workers’ terms and conditions. Paul expressed concern that the FRA, funded by taxpayer money, lacks a proper salary structure and performance management system. He claimed that increments have not been applied fairly and that management has been unresponsive to the union’s requests for salary increases that align with the rising costs of living since 2017.
Paul also highlighted that the Coalition Government had promised to eliminate contract-based appointments in the civil service, yet entities like the FRA are allegedly resistant to this change despite a significant labor shortage in the construction sector. Last month, the union conducted a secret ballot regarding strike action, supervised by officials from the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations at FRA sites nationwide.
As a result of the ongoing standoff, the union has warned the public to expect disruptions in FRA operations in the coming months.