SUVA – Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has signaled that the government is open to considering a proposal to increase the national living wage to $8 per hour, provided the move is integrated into national budget planning and accounts for investor stability.
The proposal, spearheaded by the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC), has sparked a divide between labor advocates and the business community over the feasibility of wage hikes in the current economic climate.
The debate arrives as the government balances the need to improve worker living standards against warnings from international financial institutions regarding Fiji’s overall economic growth and fiscal discipline.
Budgetary Constraints and Cabinet Review
Prime Minister Rabuka stated there is no inherent reason why the FTUC proposal should not be considered or passed, but emphasized that such a decision cannot be made in isolation from the state’s financial capabilities and broader macroeconomic strategy.
The Prime Minister noted that the government must assess its ability to fund the increase while simultaneously addressing the concerns of investors who provide the capital necessary for employment, signalling that any adjustment would likely be phased in and tied to revenue forecasts in the upcoming national budget.
This position follows internal discussions within the Cabinet, including comments from Minister for Information Lynda Tabuya, regarding the potential impact of a mandated wage increase on small and medium‑sized enterprises and on sectors heavily exposed to external shocks such as tourism and manufacturing.
Any formal decision would ultimately be anchored in Fiji’s national wage-setting and employment framework overseen by the Employment Relations Act and related labour regulations, which govern minimum wage orders, collective bargaining and dispute resolution across the country.
Business Sector Opposition
The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) has strongly opposed the timing and basis of the FTUC’s campaign. Chief Executive Edward Bernard argued that seeking a new wages system while businesses and the government are struggling to maintain employment is “not in good faith on the part of the FTUC.”
While Bernard acknowledged that fair wages contribute to economic prosperity and improved living standards, he maintained that the $8 per hour demand lacks sufficient evidence, calling for a more detailed cost‑of‑living analysis and sector‑by‑sector impact assessment before any rate is endorsed.
Bernard identified several systemic pressures that complicate a wage increase:
- Persistently low national productivity relative to regional competitors
- Widening skills gaps in the workforce, particularly in technical and vocational fields
- High rates of youth unemployment placing additional strain on social services
- Increasing costs for production inputs and freight, which compress profit margins
According to the FCEF, these factors mean that a sharp, across‑the‑board lift in the living wage could force some employers to reduce headcount, automate, or pass on higher prices to consumers, potentially eroding the very gains workers are seeking.
World Bank Economic Warnings
The tension between labor demands and business sustainability is set against a backdrop of cautious economic projections and ongoing post‑pandemic recovery efforts.
The World Bank has issued warnings that Fiji’s economic growth could drop below 3 percent. According to the organization, avoiding this slowdown requires the country to urgently prioritize the following:
- Strengthening economic reforms to improve the investment climate and competitiveness
- Improving general productivity across key sectors, including tourism, agriculture and services
- Rebuilding fiscal discipline after years of elevated public spending and disaster‑related borrowing
Bernard cited these warnings to argue that a wage hike without corresponding productivity gains could jeopardize enterprise sustainability and undermine government efforts to restore fiscal buffers.
For Rabuka’s administration, the living wage push now sits alongside broader policy debates on social protection, tax reform and growth, with officials signaling that any change will be weighed against medium‑term debt targets and the need to maintain confidence among domestic and foreign investors. The government’s next step involves incorporating the living wage proposal into formal budget planning processes to determine its financial viability, a discussion expected to draw close scrutiny from unions, employers and multilateral partners following Fiji’s ongoing economic and social development agenda outlined by national authorities.