The Fiji Trade Unions Congress and the Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions have both highlighted their disappointment with how government has defined essential service and industry in the Employment Amendment Bill.
Both unions have called on government to clarify and change this.
They highlighted this while making separate submissions to the Parliamentary Standing committee on Justice Law and Human Rights.
The Unions say majority of the industries and services deemed to be an essential service or industry in the bill are not essential services under the International Labour Organisation definition.
The ILO defines essential services as one that would involve the endanger of life, personal safety and health as a whole.
Fiji Trade Unions Congress General Secretary, Felix Anthony has questioned why the petroleum sector has not been found as an essential service.
Anthony says he does not understand why Transport has been generally found as an essential service.
Meanwhile, Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions General Secretary, Attar Singh says most services listed in the bill are not genuine essential services.
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