Branch closes, five lose their jobs

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Sanjay Kumar (left) shows the letter they received on Wednesday. With him are Shivam Gounder, Ravnit Chand and Jioji Natadra. Picture: ANISH CHAND

FIVE staff of MH Homemaker outlet in Rakiraki are pleading with the company to pay them what is required under the Employment Relations regulations after they were sent home on Wednesday and the town shop closed.

In a letter to the individual staff, owners of the MH Homemaker, Carpenters Fiji PTE Ltd has stated “now that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated, we are left with no alternate but to reduce our MH Homemakers human resources which means your employment with the company shall be ceased”.

“This is a big blow for us all who have served the company for over seven years now,” said Sanjay Kumar.

“We know the law states we should be paid more but here they are giving us only one week’s pay.”

Mr Kumar said there was scarcity of jobs in Rakiraki and they would have to struggle to look after their families.

“This branch made $54,000 in February, $77,000 in March and $26,000 in April and we were doing fine.

“All of the staff here were surprised that we received our letters saying we had no jobs,” said Mr Kumar.

He said their working hours were reduced to 28 per week in March.

The group is calling on the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations to look into their plight.

Questions sent to Carpenters Fiji PTE Ltd remained unanswered as this article went to press.

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