Government has informed ILO that union members can carry out union activities without interference

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations Parveen Bala says the government has informed the International Labour Organisation Committee that union members have been able to organise and carry out union activities without any interference and harassment from Fijian government.

Bala stated this in the Parliament after Opposition Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka asked Bala to give an update on the action taken by government in addressing issues raised by the ILO Committee at the 108th session in June this year.

This had to do with the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention.

SODELPA’s Lynda Tabuya then asked Bala to tell Parliament why the Water Authority of Fiji workers were not allowed to exercise their freedom of speech and association as guaranteed under the constitution and under ILO conventions.

Tabuya says her question is in light of the repeated rejection of the permits by the Fiji Trades Union Congress and the workers to march and also preventing people to visit workers of the Water Authority while they gathered at the FTUC.

Bala then stated that the matter is before the court.

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