The Ministry of Employment has reported significant progress in resolving workplace disputes and recovering unpaid wages for employees.

Minister Agni Deo Singh says they conducted 1,081 inspections in the first quarter of the last financial year, leading to the recovery of $366,379 in unpaid wages for workers.

He adds they also achieved an 85 percent success rate in resolving disputes through mediation.

“We referred 22 to the Employment Relations Tribunal. There are 108 pending. So our actual achievement was around 85.15% in terms of settling disputes through mediation and a recovery of $217,809.30 cents as unpaid wages.”

Singh adds they also carried out successful mediation in three major disputes, including Energy Fiji, the Ministry of Health, and the Nadi Town Council, averting potential strike actions.

Singh says they are trying to bring in an atmosphere where the employer and the worker representative can come together, sit at a table and Talanoa and find a solution through mediation services.