FRCS axes med cover
FPSA says move done without consulting workers
THE Fiji Public Service Association says the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service “will cop the dumbest employer in the country prize” for stopping its employee medical insurance scheme in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.
FPSA general secretary Rajeshwar Singh said FRCS pulled the plug when insurance cover was most needed with escalating virus cases daily.
He also said the move was also done without consulting the workers’ representative, the FPSA.
In a letter to Mr Singh on Friday, FRCS acting chief executive officer Jonetani Vuto said the medical insurance benefit would cease from June 21.
“The decision not to continue with the medical insurance benefit was made considering financial constraints and the ongoing impact of COVID-19,” Mr Vuto said in the letter.
“This is a cost management decision which may be reconsidered if our financial situation improves.
“Please accept this letter as a formal notice to Fiji Public Service Association regarding the ceas(ing) of FRCS employee medical insurance benefit.”
Mr Singh said it was ironic FRCS was removing the medical cover when COVID-19 cases were rising daily with no respite or robust control measures in sight.
“The association vehemently opposes this crude action of the employer and will challenge its unilateral action and the outright breach of the FPSA/FRCS Master Collective Agreement of 2017,” he said.
He said FPSA was not consulted on the issue.
“The employer, being a government statutory authority, has played a shameful trickery of giving a late notice on Friday when the insurance policy expires two days later on a Sunday.
“They think this is a smart move by them, not realising that they will cop the prize of the dumbest employer in the country for using such crude tactics against its own employees.”
Mr Vuto has not responded to queries sent by this newspaper earlier this week.