The government has welcomed the determination of the International Labour Organization because a Commission of Inquiry was not in the best interests of Fiji and Fijians.
Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has made this statement from Geneva after the signing of an agreement by the Fijian government, the employers and the unions to use the Employment Relations Promulgation as the primary basis for labour management relations in the country.
The agreement signed in Geneva also says that government shall restore the check-off facilities which are the direct union fees deductions for civil servants who are members of public sector unions.
Sayed-Khaiyum said the government believes in adhering to international standards.
He said it looks forward, on a tripartite basis through the Employment Relations Advisory Board mechanism, to the implementation of the core ILO conventions.
He said the government has also agreed to specific milestones and time frames to be achieved before the November session of the ILO governing body.
The Attorney General said obviously a lot of focused attention is required from now until then.
The government says the goodwill shown by all sides in Geneva has to be the basis of the tripartite engagement in Fiji to ensure that everyone, as one team, facilitate further sustained economic growth and an improvement in the wellbeing of all Fijians.
Sayed-Khaiyum sayid a number of significant reforms have already taken place or are under way such as the introduction of the minimum wage, increase in the FNPF employer contributions and the drafting of new laws to increase the amount payable under workers compensation.
He said the situation of a vast many working Fijians has improved with the implementation of free water, free education, free medicine, subsidised electricity rates, free text books, subsidised bus fares and an increase in and introduction of new categories in social welfare payments.
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