Felix Antony [left] and Agni Deo Singh

The Fiji Teachers Union says its submission for the national budget was made through the Fiji Trades Union Congress.

This comes after the FTU, FTUC, Fijian Teachers Association and Fiji Hotels Workers body were not part of a consultation process earlier this week despite being invited.

However, FTU Secretary Agni Deo Singh confirms the submission is joint with FTUC and other affiliates.

FTUC General Secretary, Felix Antony, says they had to resort to written submissions as invitation was sent late last Friday and was only seen by him on Monday.

The Fiji Public Service Association and the Bank Employees Association are the only unions who were part of the virtual submissions.

The FTUC and its affiliates have put in a number of points in their submissions, which includes basic wage rate, removal of VAT on essential food items.

Among the submission they say they have witnessed that employers are taking advantage of the current crisis to reduce terms and conditions of employment, many of which had been negotiated and agreed to decades back and had served well.