The joint petition to the President of Fiji from political parties, trade unions and paramount chiefs shows there is still a rift between the largest trade union body and the Fiji Labour Party.
The Fiji Trade Union Congress has its name on the petition but President Daniel Urai did not sign the document.
The instigator of the petition was Mick Beddoes, leader of the United People's Party, and he was joined by three paramount chiefs, all other major political parties, and the Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions.
Daniel Urai says the Fiji Trade Union Congress had earlier agreed to sign, but when it heard Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry was involved in the petition, they changed their mind.
The Congress fell out with the Fiji Labour Party after the party's conference in August, when trades union congress National Secretary Felix Anthony said he was silenced by 'undemocratic' party leaders.
