Pacific Islands Council of Trade Unions - PICTU

26/06/2026

EFFORTS are underway to place former Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme workers with new employers where possible, as authorities continue searching for a Fijian worker […]

26/06/2026

26th June 2026

❌️BUDGET NOT FOR WORKERS!
(Initial Responae)

⛔️The FTUC is disappointed with the Budget delivered by the Minister of Finance for the year 2026-2027. The Budget offers no new relief for workers in light of the increase in cost of living. Instead, more attention has been given to businesses.

⛔️There has been no increase in minimum wage but instead $100,000 has been allocated for further consultations next year. This is not acceptable by workers. Workers needed relief immediately just as business needed relief to deal with the raise in cost of fuel. The Governments’ reference to assistance to workers has been what was given a year and a half ago. The long justification of assistance to workers made no sense. What matters is the future moving forward and there was absolutely nothing.

⛔️The FTUC condemns Governments’ decision to reduce FNPF by 2%. This again works for employers and basically means that there has been a 2% pay cut for all workers. Government alone stands to save around 30 million dollars with this cut. Workers as a whole stand to lose hundreds of million dollars collectively. More so at a time when workers are struggling to put decent food on the table.

⛔️Government has once again renegaded on its promise to compensate workers who were terminated by WAF in 2019. This is despite the then Minister of Finance announcing it in the 2024-2025 Budget that these workers would be compensated. A show of bad faith on part of this Government.

⛔️While the FTUC welcomes the investments in infrastructure, the Budget is heavily in favor of Government owned enterprises and the private sector. It offers no relief to workers and their families. Assistance that the Minister spoke on was no new assistance. We cannot rely on assistance previously given as assistance for the future. Circumstances have changed and more needs to be done. We cannot draw comfort by Governments’ assurance that taxes will not be raised, or VAT will remain at 12.5% and that previous assistance will remain.

⛔️Overall, its been a disappointing budget for workers

Felix Anthony
National Secretary

25/06/2026

By Joan Nwagwu The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has called for accelerated global action on climate goals and a just transition framework to protect workers and vulnerable communities. This is contained in a statement issued on Friday by Ms Boitumelo Molete, Social Development Poli...

22/06/2026

15/06/2026

Harsh reality

For the Pacific Islander women who harvest the fruit and vegetables that stock Australia’s supermarket shelves, motherhood here can mean injury, debt, secrecy and fear.

28/05/2026

27/05/2026

27/05/2026

FTUC Press Release:Wednesday, 27th May 2026
FNPF Policy Review

The FTUC calls upon FNPF to review its policy on declaring annual interest rates and distribution of interest to members. This has become necessary due to FNPF now allowing deposits from members in addition to normal contributions. We are aware that large sums of money are being deposited by those that can afford and obtain overnight high interest rates such as one declared last year at around 8.25% while the bank would only give between 1% and 2% interest.

A member with $40,000 would have got an interest of $3,300 while a member with $1,000,000 would have received $82,500 as interest payment. Of the 436,860 members only 4,062 members have savings of $100,000 or more up to more than a million dollars which accounts for only 3.6% of FNPF members. Of the total membership only 0.5% have savings of $250,000 and up to more than a million dollars. These are the ones who get the real cream from FNPF with the current FNPF policy on deposits, mainly from business owners who actually benefit disproportionately from the FNPF current portfolio. This is simply unfair. It appears that FNPF is operating as a stock market where you can invest without risk and benefit from its profits overnight except that you cannot sell shares, while 86% lifelong members get the crumbs.

The FTUC calls upon FNPF to review its policy on deposits and distribution of profits. The interest rates on deposits that are in excess of the normal contribution rates must be lower so that legitimate members get a higher percentage of interests. The current policy actually promotes the inequality and extends the gap between the haves and the have nots. Put simply it is a policy to make the rich richer. It is no longer about a decent retirement but a quick money-making scheme for the rich. This abuse must stop and greater attention must be paid to the core function of FNPF.

Felix Anthony
National Secretary