BY NED GAGAHE
The Solomon Islands Council of Trade Unions (SICTU) has intensified pressure on the current government, urging its three leading political parties to urgently back the establishment of a Tripartite Secretariat to tackle what it describes as the government’s continued neglect of long-overdue reforms to public officers’ Schemes of Service.
In a statement on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, SICTU National Secretary, Adrian Tuhanuku, said that the existing Schemes of Service lack career progression pathways, competitive remuneration, and weak mechanisms for skills development.
He said this has led to widespread inefficiency and a brain drain across essential sectors.
“Over the years government failure to address this critical commitment by successive government to its workers resulted in declining service quality in healthcare, education, and public safety, directly impacting citizens’ well-being”, said Tuhanuku.
SICTU, appeals to the GNUT governing coalition specifically the OUR Party, Solomon Islands People First Party, and Kandere Party to support the immediate creation of a Tripartite Secretariat reporting directly to the Prime Minister.
SICTU said this body will address the critical failure of the current government to prioritize the review of outdated and underfunded Schemes of Service for public officers, including teachers, Police, Correctional Services, Doctors, Nurses, Allied Health Professionals, and General Public Service Officers.
Island Sun understands that SICTU has been consistently pushing for the establishment of the Tripartite body to strengthen dialogue and collaboration between key stakeholders in the labour sector.
Tuhanuku said despite SICTU’s repeated calls for inclusive policymaking as it appears workers through representation remain excluded from ministerial committees, SOE boards, and parliamentary standing committees where their futures are decided.
He said this unilateral approach violates the spirit of tripartism endorsed by the Ministry of Commerce and the Labour Advisory Board.
SICTU proposes a high impact body to spearhead reforms secretariat with equal representation from Government, Employers (via SICCI), and Workers (via SICTU affiliated unions), operating within the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and partnering with constitutional commissions (Public Service, Teaching Service, Police, Correctional, others).
“Mandate of the secretariat includes conducting a nationwide review of all public sector Schemes of Service, align salaries, promotions, and welfare with modern labour standards and economic realities and Integrate skills development, workplace safety, and gender equity frameworks,” Tuhanuku said.
SICTU stated that public officers kept Solomon Islands functioning through crises, yet their welfare is sidelined in GNUT policies therefore tripartism is not a concession but a right enshrined in ILO conventions and validated by Solomon Islands’ own National Employment Policy framework.
SICTU national secretary stated that tripartite model is our proven path to social justice. SICTU stand ready to work with the PMO and commissions but the GNUT’s coalition partners must first choose workers over complacency. Let them heed this call or face the consequences of a betrayed workforce.
In September last year, SICTU welcomed the Government’s Tripartite Policy initiative through the Office of the Commissioner of Labor. The policy promotes a collaborative approach between the government, employers, and trade unions in addressing labour market challenges and shaping effective industrial policies.
More recently, in May this year, SICTU renewed its call for stronger tripartite engagement, particularly on urgent matters affecting both workers and employers. Among the key issues raised was the need for action on Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA), which has become a growing concern due to rising inflation and economic pressures faced by workers across the country.
SICTU maintains that a functioning Tripartite Advisory Body is crucial to achieving better outcomes for all stakeholders and ensuring that workers’ rights and welfare are adequately safeguarded in national labour policies.
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