Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation Chief Executive Nezbitt Hazelman

Fiji Trade and Union Congress members were reminded that strike should be the last option because at the end of the day nobody wins.

Speaking to the participants of the Congress conference, Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation Chief Executive Nezbitt Hazelman says it’s important to first think about the consequences before taking a step.

He adds when a strike occurs it affects both the employer and employee, as the worker could lose their job and production timelines would not be met by the organization.

“The right to strike is sometimes used as a leverage to move out of good faith bargaining, to hang this sort of weapon over an employer that I’ve got a right to strike and if you don’t do this, we will move forward to this. Good faith bargaining is the foundation of negotiations and we should pursue that at all cost.”

Hazelman says though negotiation may be difficult at some stage, the need to find a solution is vital.