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GOVERNMENTS must establish tripartite relationships and dialogue to achieve quality and inclusive employment, says Pacific Island Council of Trade Unions president Daniel Urai.
Speaking at the International Labour Organisation-led Pacific Tripartite High-Level Dialogue on Decent Work in Suva yesterday, Mr Urai said this was not the case for Fijian workers under the FijiFirst government.
“Many workers in Fiji suffered under the former administration over the last 16 or so years,” Mr Urai said.
“But we are very grateful to the current Government who recognise that workers rights are human rights.”
He said the Government was working towards assisting in rebuilding and strengthening workers rights while working with worker unions and organisations.
“In order to achieve our objective to shape the priorities needed for quality and inclusive employment growth across the region, governments must establish and strengthen tripartite social dialogue with employers’ and workers’ representatives.”
Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO) vice president Howard Politini said they would support human rights and social justice.
“The Pacific private sector views the inclusive nature of tripartite social dialogue and its underlying principles of democratic ownership and accountability as critical to the achievement of sustainable development set out in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent,” Mr Politini said.
“We support human rights, but as the saying goes, truth taken to the extreme as error, so we need to be conscious of that.”
The dialogue has brought together representatives of governments and worker and employer organisations from across the Pacific.
It will help drive forward a coordinated and inclusive approach to labour-related challenges and opportunities facing the region while shaping priorities to strengthen employment growth and decent work.
More than 60 delegates are taking part — including seven ministers, and representatives of non-ILO member states, civil society, UN agencies and international organisations
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