FTUC welcomes $5 minimum wage increase, calls for further raises and civil servant pay increase

As the national minimum wage is being increased to $5 per hour, the Fiji Trades Union Congress says they welcome the adjustment and they would have preferred it to be effective immediately but we can understand that employers do need time to readjust to the new wage rates.

In an interview with fijivillage News, FTUC General Secretary, Felix Anthony says they also look forward to the Government reconsidering in the next budget a further increase to $6 as they claimed and hopefully not too far in the future, workers in this country will enjoy a living wage.

When questioned on his opinion with regards to a 7 to 20 percent pay rise for civil servants, Anthony says they welcome that pay increase and believes that for the first time, any Government has given such a big increase.

He says the civil servants' demands are much more than that and he believes that that is something for further negotiations with the Public Service Commission and probably a job evaluation exercise to ensure that they achieve what they are demanding.

When questioned on the FTUC’s stand on the increase in pay for MPs, the Speaker and the President, Anthony says Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad did clarify that the overall increase is around $4 million and not $8 million or whatever was claimed before.