The Implementation of the 2003 Job Evaluation Report is grossly unfair according to majority of the public sector unions.
General Secretary of the Fiji Teachers Union, Agni Deo Singh said the circular from the Public Service Commission about the implementation of the report has come as an unpleasent shock.
Singh said the gap between the poor and the rich will now widen.
Meanwhile, the Fiji Public Service Association has echoed Singh's sentiments saying the Evaluation Report should be a total package and also include the lowest paid employees as well, which is why the FPSA and FTU have filed a dispute with the Permanent Secretary for Labour that the Interim Government be ordered to negotiate with the Association on the Report and be stopped from implementing the report as yet.
General Secretary, Rajeshwar Singh said out of the 22,307 public servants, less than 2000 people will be getting a pay increase under the Job Evaluation Report.
He said the Interim Government has breached the Employment Relations Promulgation and sections of the 1997 Constitution thus contravening the right of the Union to bargain on behalf of its members.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary for the Public Service Commission, Taina Tagicakibau said when a job evaluation is done, there can be a promotion or a demotion and the Unions know that very well.
She said when the Unions do not get payrise, they complain and they are still complaining after the payrise has been awarded.
Tagicakibau refused to comment on the matter saying the interim government as an employer is implemeting the Job Evaluation Report 2003 as said earlier.Tagicakibau refused to comment on the matter saying the interim government as an employer is implemeting the Job Evaluation Report 2003 as said earlier.
