Good news for Energy Fiji Limited as all staff below management level have received a 5 percent pay rise that will be backdated to 1st January, 2023.
EFL CEO, Hasmukh Patel says with this year’s increase, the total increase in wages from 2015 to 2023 will amount to more than 23 percent compounded.
Patel says they believe in fair and equitable pay and conditions for the entire workforce and have a solid, consistent track record of always being reasonable, accessible, and prepared to negotiate.
He says EFL has continuously engaged in fruitful discussions with its 2 Unions to ensure harmonious relationship is always maintained.
The CEO says some 57.56 percent of EFL employees are members of the two 2 Unions, namely Fiji Electricity Workers Association and the Construction, Energy and Timber Workers Union of Fiji.
Patel says EFL has on set intervals engaged with both these unions since 2015 to ensure that the employees log of claims are addressed amicably, with practical resolutions, in order to maintain harmonious relationship.
He says over the past eight years, they have agreed to increased wage totaling 18 percent with the most recent being just last year, with a 5 percent increase.
Patel says throughout 2021 and 2022, when COVID-19 shut down Fiji’s economy, EFL continued to support its workers.
He says while so many companies in Fiji and globally cut their workforce, EFL didn’t terminate any one person.
The EFL CEO says during COVID, the required employer superannuation was reduced to 5 percent by Government, EFL continued to contribute 10 percent.
Patel says EFL’s 10 percent contribution still exceeds the mandatory legislated employer contribution requirement of 7 percent, providing better retirement outcomes for all EFL workers.
Providing these regular increases, not laying anyone off and exceeding required superannuation contributions, were delivered against a tough backdrop of frozen energy prices, rising fuel costs and the challenges of COVID-19, as well as continuing to invest in energy infrastructure to secure Fiji’s energy supply and the essential transition to renewables.
He adds they are encourage members of Construction, Energy and Timber Workers Union of Fiji to fully inform themselves with the facts before making any decisions that could impact Fiji’s energy supply.
Patel adds EFL profits are reinvested to continually improve energy infrastructure and secure Fiji’s electricity supply – this includes the costly but essential transition to renewables.
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