Implementation of the PRB Report: A Threat to Involve the ILO Surfaces
The State and Other Employees Federation (SOEF) has raised the possibility of appealing to the International Labour Organization (ILO) regarding the implementation of the 2026 Pay Research Bureau (PRB) report. In a letter sent on March 13 to the secretary of the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms, the union federation expressed serious concerns about several aspects of the report and its application.
In the letter, signed by its negotiator, Radhakrishna Sadien, the SOEF acknowledged the considerable work done by the PRB, while highlighting the challenges faced during the exercise. The report itself notes a critical shortage of technical staff, as well as the provision of outdated or incomplete information by certain stakeholders, along with a lack of crucial data from both unions and management. The federation claims these constraints may have limited the scope of the exercise, stating, "It is precisely because of these inherent complexities that we are deeply concerned about certain recommendations."
A Mechanism Considered Too Restrictive
At the center of the criticism is paragraph 20.32 of the report, which stipulates that stakeholders must refrain from resubmitting representations that have already been examined, and that the planned addendum will be limited to "genuine errors or omissions." New proposals will not be considered.
The SOEF argues that this approach is "excessively restrictive." The union recalls that in the past, complementary mechanisms have been used to address certain gaps in the PRB reports, citing the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal, a "Salaries Commissioner," and a committee on errors, omissions, and anomalies previously chaired by the late Dev Manraj, former financial secretary.
According to the federation, limiting appeals to only the errors identified by the PRB would effectively prevent civil servants from challenging certain decisions for several years. "By restricting appeals after the report's publication to 'genuine errors or omissions' as unilaterally defined by the PRB, the proposed mechanism effectively prevents civil servants from seeking recourse to any other independent institution for five years," it states.
The SOEF also believes this situation creates unequal treatment between public sector workers and those in the private sector.
In its letter, it emphasizes that wages and working conditions in the private sector can be subject to collective bargaining between employers and unions. In the event of a dispute, parties can refer to the Commission for Conciliation and Mediation or the Employment Relations Tribunal.
"Denying public sector workers a comparable dispute resolution mechanism is inherently unfair," asserts the federation.
International Conventions Invoked
The SOEF further argues that some aspects of the report's implementation may be incompatible with Mauritius' international labor law commitments.
It cites ILO Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, Convention 98 on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining—ratified by Mauritius in 2019—and Convention 144 on Tripartite Consultation.
According to the federation, "by excluding negotiations and imposing a rigid and unilateral implementation framework, the state could act in violation of these conventions."
The SOEF also points out that some recommendations from the PRB are considered "regressive," particularly those concerning leave, benefits for promotions, bus travel, and compensation for Sunday work. The federation raises several procedural issues related to the report's implementation.
It notes a contradiction between the PRB's recommendations and the circular issued by the ministry. While the report indicates that its recommendations should be considered "as a whole" and sets an effective date of January 1, 2026, the circular announces a phased implementation: 50% in January 2026 and 100% in January 2027.
Notably, last week, Rishirah Persand, president of the SOEF, and Amarjeet Seetohul, president of the Ministry of Health Employees Union, filed an urgent injunction request against the government's Option Form related to the implementation of the PRB report.