The Fiji Trades Union Congress says it is not surprised that the Textile and Garments Manufacturers are once again issuing threats of job losses if the National Minimum Wage is increased.
National Secretary Felix Anthony says this mantra has been repeated every time over the years whenever workers needed a wage adjustment.
Anthony says they recognise that the threat from the owners to close shop was well timed for the elections and they have received good coverage from the media.
He claims that the purpose was to assist the ruling party to scare workers into voting for them.
Anthony says some of these factories actually allowed Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, the General Secretary of the Fiji First Party to visit the factories during working hours to speak to the workers about not demanding too much of a pay rise or jobs will be lost.
The FTUC says it condemns such tactics by the factory owners and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
Anthony says this is nothing short of intimidation of workers and scare mongering.
He stresses that this is not how a responsible political party seeks votes of poor workers to stay in power.
Anthony says In fact it appears to be a desperate strategy and the FTUC calls on Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and the garment manufacturers to behave responsibly and respect the rights of workers to decent wages and an end to exploitation.
