The Coalition of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises is urging the government to ensure transparency by publicly sharing the proposed revisions to the Employment Relations Act.
In a joint statement, the MSME Coalition emphasized that the government should at least lift the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) imposed by the Ministry of Employment, Productivity & Industrial Relations on employer members of the Employment Relations Advisory Board (ERAB). This would allow their representatives to freely engage with all MSMEs and discuss the proposed changes.
The Coalition expressed alarm over recent revelations of significant fines and lengthy prison sentences outlined in the proposed amendments, as reported by the Fiji Commerce & Employers Federation (FCEF) and the Fiji Hotels & Tourism Association (FHTA). They are also troubled by indications that these amendments would eliminate cost-effective and widely-used mediation services.
While the MSME Coalition acknowledged the Trade, Cooperatives, MSME and Communications Ministry’s efforts in enhancing the MSME ecosystem in Fiji, they highlighted that the proposed fines—potentially reaching up to $500,000 and imprisonment terms of up to 20 years—could hinder the progress made within the MSME sector.
The Coalition noted that the recent National Development Plan (NDP), launched by the Ministry of Finance, aims for the MSME sector’s contribution to the GDP to rise to 20% by 2027. They argued that the proposed changes to the Employment Relations Act contradict the Coalition Government’s objectives for fostering MSMEs and supporting the private sector.