The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation is calling on Fiji Trades Union Congress to release its survey methodology and data collected from its members, as a basis for their $8 per hour living wage campaign.
This comes as FTUC Assistant National Secretary, Jotika Sharma informed fijivillage News that the $8 hourly rate was determined based on the union’s surveys, data and views gathered from its members.
Sharma also said that the campaign aimed to address rising living costs and stagnant wages while establishing clear benchmarks for determining fair wages in Fiji.
FCEF CEO, Edward Benard says while a union survey and petition on its own are not by themselves a methodology to set wages, it could help employers and Government understand FTUC’s proposal to increase the $5 statutory floor by 60 percent.
Benard says FCEF wants to understand what survey was undertaken, what was the sample size and sampling method, what household size was assumed, how many wage earners per household, what food basket was used, what housing standard and rental data, what transport, health, education and utility costs were included, is $8 gross or net, what normal working week was assumed etc.
He says the issue is not over dignity or whether workers should earn decent wages.
The CEO further says that FCEF supports fair and equal wages for equal work, however, the issue is if Fiji is ready for a living wage and a 60 percent increase from the statutory $5 per hour floor.
