A call is being made to develop and implement a Teacher Protection Policy as parents and guardians are taking the law into their own hands and are assaulting teachers.
This has been highlighted by Fiji Teachers Union General Secretary Muniappa Gounder while speaking during a public consultation on the Employment Relations Act at Suva Civic Centre today.
Gounder says there have also been cases where students have also assaulted teachers.
Gounder further says teachers are not only working in the classroom but they also work on the road side and bus stand getting students to and from school safely.
He asks what sort of insurance is there for teachers in these situations.
Gounder has also made a submission for teachers to be given three days family care leave as they do not enjoy the 10 days annual leave like other workers.
He also submitted that graduate teachers get the salary they deserve as secondary school teachers are teaching in primary school and are not being paid the graduate pay.
The General Secretary says teachers must also be paid based on their experience and is also strongly urging teachers be paid long service leave allowance.
Meanwhile, Fiji Trades Union Congress National Secretary, Felix Anthony has also responded to criticism by the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation of employers getting fined upto a million dollars.
Anthony says the only people that need to worry about penalties are the ones that do not comply or intend not to comply in the future.
He says it should be understood that the penalties are up to the limit and it is not automatically $1 million.
The National Secretary adds the courts will decide the fine based on the severity of the offence.
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