Payment increment ends employee strike at Conrad Maldives Rangali

Employees of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Resort called off a strike last evening, which has been in effect since Tuesday, after the resort’s management agreed to increase their salaries and service charges.

A police team, which the employees claimed to have been sporting riot gear – a report that the police later denied – was dispensed to the resort.

An employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said the management agreed to increase the salaries and the service charges of the employees to the same level as other resorts of the same level, after the police arrived at the resort.

“The management was having direct contact with us every now and then. We called off our strike about half an hour ago after the management agreed to increase the service charge to the range in other resorts of this level. We will see the amount we receive in the next month as a service charge,” the employee said.

The employee added that the police intervention was one of the reasons for the strike ending. A police spokesperson, however, denied reports of the police being equipped with riot gear.

“The police travelled to the island but were not in riot gear,” the official said.

The employee further noted that the police spoke with the employees.

“Police in casual wear met with us and said that they are in the resort because it’s their mandate to protect the economy of the Maldives, not to use force against the employees,” the employee said.

“We told the police we don’t believe that the police should intervene in the matter; we were not causing any disturbances to the guests, not vandalizing any property, not committing a criminal offence. We were on a civil disobedience.” 

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Conrad Maldives resort employees on strike

Conrad Maldives resort employees on strike

Employees of Conrad Maldives Rangali Resort in the Alif Dhaal atoll of the Maldives are on strike.

An employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said most of the local employees are taking part in the strike, which began at 9pm last evening.

“We are protesting at the Staff Recreation area in such a way that it would not cause any disturbance to the tourists,” the employee said.

The employee who spoke to Haveeru from the resort, said the employees went on the strike after the management failed to increase their service charge and also failed to deliver on the promise of a salary increment.

The employees have reportedly requested the resort’s management to remove General Manager Carstan Shiek from his post.

The employee, however, noted that the General Manager met with the protesting employees last evening.

“The Manager said that he can’t simply meet the employees’ demands right now. We are not satisfied with the answer because we went on the strike days after we began expressing our dissatisfaction over the matter,” the employee said.

“We told [the management] that we wouldn’t attend work. Our main demand is the removal of the General Manager.” 

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Bandos staff holds demonstrations calling for dismissal of company lawyer

Bandos Island resort workers have held mass demonstrations calling for the immediate dismissal of the company lawyer Zeshan Shihab.

Key organizer of the demonstrations Ali Rasheed told Miadhu Daily that the demonstrations sparked off following a meeting between the resort management and employees.

Ali Rasheed informed that despite submission of a petition signed by 303 staff calling for dismissal of company lawyer, Deputy Managing Director of the resort as well as daughter of owner of Bandos Island Mohamed Waheeduh Deen, Shezny Deen has rejected that call for dismissal of the company lawyer. Ali Rasheed also said Shezny Deen had also threatened to sack the employees who signed the petition. He also said pointed out that Shezny’s remarks conflicts with the Managing Director Deen’s assurances to consider the petition and to take necessary steps.

According to Ali Rasheed the demonstrations had brought some of the resort operations came to a stand still. He said demonstrators did not create any sort off disturbances but had held banners and posters expressing their feelings and sentiments. The demonstrations would continue until the management provides a reasonable answer, he said. Demonstrations commenced yesterday morning at 01100 hours and is held at staff recreation area. The petition calling for dismissal of the company lawyer was submiited on Saturday, Ali Rasheed told Miadhu Daily.

“Waheeduhdeen has told us he will keep a person, who is not wanted by staff to be their senior, over 300 staff has signed the petition expressing their dissatisfaction, now the management is threatening to give us notice, we are exercising our constitutional right to stop work, we love our Managing Director Deen and will always work for the continued development of Bandos Island Resort, now the management is threatening us for fear that this fact may be revealed” Ali Rasheed said.

Ali Rasheed also said Deen was expected return from Singapore last night and to meet the staff today. A group of police officers also arrived in Bandos last night to solve the dispute, however, the demonstrators wanted to continue demonstrations until management meets their demand, he said.

Miadhu Daily had received confirmation from police media official, that a 4 member police team had visited the island in an attempt to solve the dispute.

Bandos Strike - Deen's Speech

Bandos staff on strike

Breaking news!!

According to local news “Haveeru” and “Jazeera” more than 300 staff of Bandos Island Resort is on strike from 11 am, 15th March 2009. There are over 400 in-house guests in bandos, however according to the management the guests are provided with the required service.

According top the source, the condition occurred among staff due to some dissatisfaction with the lawyer of the company. May staff believe that the lawyer don’t treat fairly among them.

Another blow to Handhufushi, as staff goes on strike

Miadhu

The staffs at Handhufushi Resort have gone on strike this Wednesday, due to delays in receiving their salaries. The General manager for Handhufushi Resort (formerly Here’there’) in Addu Atoll, Ibrahim Rasheed told Miadhu News that staff who went on strike have now being issued their salaries, and that those still not turning up for work are those who are demanding for a bonus allowance.

“The job contracts state that the salaries should be given before the 10th of the month. Therefore, there is no reason to go on strike due to that. Nevertheless, we have given salaries to all the staff today. After that some staffs are demanding us to give a bonus allowance. Anyway, most staffs are now back on duty” Rasheed told Miadhu News yesterday.

Rasheed said that staff had been informed that the demanded bonus allowance shall be given within 14 days. He said that the bonus allowance is being given to staff because of the low occupancy of the resort, and now that occupancy is improving the staff will start receiving service charge starting this month. Handhufushi Resort is being managed by Yacht Tours on an agreement with MTDC.

Handhufushi staff begin strike to protest against delay in getting paid

Haveeru

The staff of Handhufushi Resort, managed by Yacht Tours, went on strike on Wednesday to protest against delays in receiving their wages.

The resort workers began their strike around 7:30am yesterday, saying that that had not received their salaries and bonus allowance money. They said that they would continue their strike until they received the payments.

Gathered in front of the Human Resource Department office, the staff members called for the resignation of the senior officials of the resort management and for their salaries to be given to them as soon as possible. There are reports that some of the foreign employees working at the resort are also taking part in the strike.

“We were forced to go on strike not only due to the delay in getting paid, but because we have no idea when or if we’ll even get paid,” an employee from the resort told Haveeru on condition of anonymity. “It’s not just last month’s salary we have not received; we haven’t received the bonus allowance money for the last three months either. There are even some foreign employees who haven’t received their salaries and bonus money for the last two months.”

The employees said yesterday that officials from the Human Resource Department of the resort had met with them to discuss the matter and assure them that the payments will be made within the day. They had also requested the staff to return to work.

According to reports there are currently 200 or so tourists staying at the resort.

“We can’t believe it even if they say that the salaries will be deposited before the banks close today,” another employee on strike said. “They have been saying that over and over but it never happens. This time we have decided not to end the strike before we get paid. Either that or they give us in writing a date and time when the payments will be made. In truth it’s really difficult for us that this has happened. Only a few days remain for the schools to open. How can we buy the school supplies for the children if we aren’t paid?”

The Tourism Employee Association of Maldives (TEAM) has said that they had received numerous complaints from the employees of the resort regarding the resort administration ever since Yacht Tours took over the management of the resort.

The management of the resort has however denied that there are any delays in paying their employees and insisted that they had always made all the payments, including the Rf1000 bonus, on time even during when the MTDC had managed the resort. The General Manager of the resort, Ibrahim Rasheed, said that they try very hard to ensure that their employees were paid as soon as possible.

Tourism Employment Association Maldives Takes Labour Case To Ministry

Minivan

Ahmed Easa, the president of Tourism Employment Association Maldives (TEAM), has lodged a complaint with the ministry of labour after employees at Handhufushi resort protested about non-payment of wages, reports Haveeru.

The workers said their salaries had not yet been paid by Yacht Tours, which runs the resort.

In addition to Maldivian staff, foreign employees said their salaries had not been paid for the past four months.

General Manager of the resort Ibrahim Rasheed said it was too early for staff to complain about their salaries which are contractually due to be paid on the 10th of each month.

He said the resort was in the process of paying the salaries, adding Yacht Tours even paid an extra allowance of Rf1,000 when occupancy levels were high.

He denied there were any problems related to non-payment of wages and said complaints about foreign staff not being paid for several months were an “outright lie”.

Maldives First Labour Tribunal Established

Minivan News

The Maldives first ever labour tribunal was established on Monday with the mandate of enforcing the labour rights enshrined in the Employment Act.

The creation of a labour tribunal was stipulated in the Employment Act which came into force on 13 October.

But failure to establish the tribunal at the same time led to employers and employees accusing each other of breaching the Act, which includes a number of first-time rights such as a minimum wage and a limit to weekly working hours.

The tribunal comes after a series of strikes in November calling for the implementation of labour rights as per the Employment Act.

Most notably a strike involving over 250 employees from One and Only Reethi Rah, which turned sour when up to 50 riot police came to the island to remove 13 of the dismissed staff.

Hussain Shameem, one of the members of the tribunal, said he believed fewer people would now resort to going on strike as a method of voicing their concerns.

“Hopefully there will be a place for people to come and make themselves heard. What happened in Reethi Rah was because they didn’t have another avenue to go down.”

Another member, Ibrahim Riffath, said the tribunal’s objective was to “seek solutions for all employment related issues”.

Up till now, he explained, individuals had to file cases with the civil court which could take “months or years” for a result.

“But now the tribunal is set up its main function is to see ensure the procedure is expedited,” he said.

Even though Mauroof Zaki, vice-president of Tourism Employees Association Maldives, was pleased the tribunal had been established, he expressed scepticism as to its effectiveness because of a number of ambiguous clauses in the Employment Act.

“For sure it’s very very good the action the government has done in forming a labour tribunal because we had so many problems and hope the tribunal will help,” he said, “but I think the leanings of the labour law are for the employer and that’s a major concern we are facing.”

He added another resort, Coco Palm Island Resort, had already threatened its management with strike action on New Year’s Eve, although Zakir would consider going to the tribunal now that it had been created.

At the swearing in ceremony for members of the tribunal, President Mohamed Nasheed said both employees and employers have rights as well as responsibilities and urged members to perform their role with this in mind.

Nasheed appointed Mariyam Nazima as president while Mr Mohamed Ahmed was appointed as vice-president of the tribunal

Other members include: Ali Najeeeb, Ibrahim Riffath, Hussain Shameem, Fathimath Shifana and Shabab Rasheed.

MATI does not work for the benefits of tourism sector: TEAM

Haama Daily

Tourism Employees Association of Maldives (TEAM) said that Maldivian Association of Tourism Industries (MATI) does not act ethically towards the employee benefits and does but appreciate the workers co-operation.

TEAM says that MATI is acting against the workers right ethics and MATI have proved their priority towards the development of tourism sector, highlighting the less programs run by MATI to develop tourism in Maldives. According to TEAM, MATI does not appreciate works bargaining for their rights, but it is permissible in the constitution of Maldives.

They also said that the strikes in some resorts recently was acceptable in the Act of employment, and commented on the report submitted by labor relations. TEAM says that the report is prepared without “looking on both sides”.

TEAM also gave a remark to MDP some of MDP members who commented in the Peoples Majlis on the Reethi Rah Resort issue.

Maldives Is Being Perceived As An Unsafe Destination: MATI

Minivan News

Since the Employment Act was amended to include the tourism industry in October, the sector has come under heavy scrutiny.

A series of strikes from workers protesting for their labour rights, which they claimed had not been implemented since the revision of the Act, has brought to light both the flaws in the legislation but also the dissatisfaction felt by many employees.

Most notably, a strike held on 28 November at the One and Only Resort by over 200 staff ended in violence after police clashed with workers.

On the fourth day of the strike, the government intervened to reach a settlement, which President Mohamed Nasheed described as a “breakthrough”.

Sim Ibrahim Mohamed from the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) talks to Minivan News about the state of the tourism industry and how recent strikes have cost the industry millions of dollars.

What do you think about the strikes that have taken place?

It’s really sad because these people who are striking have now become activists. But there are people with vested interests who are working behind the scenes.

It’s people who want to bring down the government and also hurt the tourism industry. We know the people involved but we don’t want to engage with them. We want to resolve this issue amicably. We want to remove the ambiguities within the law. That’s all we are trying to do.

The entrepreneurs that are investing in tourism have rights too. Just in the same way workers have rights. This has been forgotten because it’s the workers who are making a lot of noise. They were not justified in what they did because there is a grievance procedure. If you study the situation then you will see the management also had some complaints but these were not heard.

Are you satisfied with the settlement brokered by the government?

We are not happy with the resolution reached because the government has been held hostage, the management has been held hostage and the entire tourism industry has been held hostage. If these people are party to the MoU, it gives too much recognition to these kinds of actions. It justifies this kind of action on private property. They have caused damage to the property.

We have heard from the management that they have thrown sand at mothers. They have also damaged property, breaking and entering into the living quarters of the general manager’s family home. They also threatened tourists and really frightened and intimidated them by going into the eating areas at meal times. So these are some issues that we have heard about but MATI can’t vouch for these because we were not there.

How have the strikes affected the tourism industry?

Several people have cancelled their holidays at One and Only Reethi Rah but also in the Maldives. The damage caused by this kind of act is very hard to estimate but it’s in the millions.

And it’s going to take more millions to put this right in terms of damage control and reputation. The Maldives is no longer a safe destination; this is how people will perceive it now. But we have had setbacks like this before such as the tsunami and we have come through them.

Do you think the Employment Act was flawed?

Strikes are good and they exist in all countries. But we need to have provisions within the Employment Act to regulate these things. We must also insure that we protect ownership rights and the rights of the employer. The Employment Act was flawed. The constitution of the Maldives is very ambiguous. It says people can go on strike but it doesn’t say how or where.

How do you think recent events will change employer-employee relations?

There will be a greater distinction between the two. Much greater than exists at the moment. Things are different now because there are many family-owned resorts and there’s a bond between some of the workers who have been there for a long time and their employers.

Once we go by the letter of the law then it will be a different situation. It will be more professional which is good, but there will be more of a distance than in the current employer-employee relationship.

How is the global financial crisis affecting the tourism industry?

The financial crisis is not affecting us much yet but it will affect tourism from April next year. This is because people have already paid for their holidays for this year. But people developing resorts have found it difficult to continue because there is a squeeze of credit. It’s become very hard to borrow money to invest.

There are around 40 resorts that have been leased to be developed and for obvious reasons they have had difficult in finding finance and so the industry has not expanded because of this. We have to create investor confidence in the Maldives especially in funding institutions.

They have to think it’s a good place for people to invest and make money. Obviously it’s a huge task. Confidence building is a huge task. It’s not like building something with bricks and mortar.

What do you think of the government proposal to increase resort leases to 50 years?

We want an increase of 15 years and this has been spun in many ways. This has been distorted by politicians who are claiming erroneously that we want 50 years. What we are asking for is an extension of 15 years because of circumstances outside our control, such as the current global financial market and the time it will take for us to recover from the crisis.

We think that if we can get these leases it will be an incentive for new businesses to come to the country. If we don’t get the leases most people will pack up and leave. People need to know there will be enough of a return on their investment.

Do you think bed rents should be standardised? [Beds at resort today are leased at a rate of up to US$16,000 whereas the first resorts that opened up pay about US$2000. Many argue that bed rents should be standardised.]

There are contracts that are in place and if we were to break these contracts it would be a disservice to those who have bid and won those beds and it’s very likely that some of them would sue the government. The best way for the government to enhance their income is to tax the industry on profits. We are happy to pay taxes.

In all business everywhere in the world, there’s something called prior rates for those who were there before everyone else because they took the risk of investing. They were the pioneers. This happens all over the world.

I think it’s very fair because they have taken huge risks to make their business grown from nothing. If they are to be penalised because they are successful now then it’s a disservice. The new government are cashing in on the success on the first investors and that’s not right.

Strikes that hit Sri Lanka managed resorts in Maldives end

Lanka Business Online

A series of strikes that hit Maldivian resorts, including several managed by Sri Lanka's Aitken Spence group are ending, after the strikes were called off following presidential intervention, officials said.

"The situation is 90 percent back to normal," Aitken Spence group's Maldivian chief Chetiya Perera told LBO.

"I have already visited two resorts and I am about to visit another one which is further away.

Sri Lanka's Aitken Spence managed Meedhuparu Island resort was one of the affected resorts. It operates five resorts in the Atolls under the 'Adaaran' brand.

Maldives has become an important source of profits to the leisure division of the group, with Sri Lanka's leisure industry hit by an internal conflict.

Perera said the resorts were always in operation, during the industrial action. Maldivian diplomatic sources said the strikes were settled following intervention by the newly elected president's office.

Reports said disputes at other resorts which triggered strikes elsewhere have been settled.

Minivanews, a web based news service operating from the capital Male, said 13 employees from the One and Only Resort who were dismissed have now been taken back.

"We have actually got everything that we demanded. I am very happy," Minivanews quoted Ahmed Easa, president of Tourism Employee’s Association Maldives was quoted as saying in Minivan.

"Everybody is happy, including the management, I think."

Maldives has a new coalition government, which was brought to power by pro-democracy activists. The strikes were partly triggered by a new employments law which promises better conditions for workers.

But cracks are already appearing. Home minister Gasim Ibrahim resigned Wednesday evening citing lack of funds to improve prisons. But over the past few days he had come under severe pressure for sending riot police to quell a strike at a resort.

Gasim a one-time finance minister of the former administration of Abdul Gayoom, quit shortly before the government fell.

President Mohamed Nasheed won office in October following the country's first multi-party elections ousting Asia longest serving head of state. He was a former political prisoner.

Maldives is a premium tourist paradise, but tourist arrivals have been falling for three consecutive months amidst global turmoil. In October arrivals fell 4.0 percent to 56,363

Hudhuranfushi staff on strike

Home minister Gasim Ibrahim resigns because of Reethi rah strike case

Minivan
Home Minister Gasim Ibrahim has resigned following an admission to the press on Tuesday that he had ordered police to go to One and Only Resort to remove 13 dismissed staff.
Employees, who were striking over labour rights, have alleged the use of electric batons and irritant spray from up to 50 police who arrived on the island in full riot gear on Sunday morning. The act has been condemned by the Human Rights Commission.
Gasim said he felt constitutionally “obliged” to send police because he had been informed that the workers were “a danger to guests, employees and buildings". He added that he was grateful to police for carrying out their duty.
Police commissioner Ahmed Faseeh, Gasim admitted, was reluctant to take police action.
Gasim added that he was not responsible for ordering either the number of police or specifying that riot gear should be worn.
Speaking to Minivan News on Tuesday, state minister Ahmed Mujthaba admitted that investigating the matter further might make it “difficult to continue as a coalition”.
As Gasim is a member of the Republican Party rather than President Mohamed Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party, the future of the coalition could be jeopardised.
Gasim ran for presidency in the first round of elections but later supported Nasheed in return for a cabinet position.
His Republican Party was created earlier this year after he quit his post as Finance Minister under the former president Maumoon Gayoom.

Read more on Haveeru Daily

Gasim Ordered Commissioner To Send Police Force to Reethi Rah

Minivan

Home minister Gasim Ibrahim on Tuesday admitted he ordered Police Commissioner Ahmed Faseeh several times to send police to One and Only Reethi Rah resort in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Up to 50 police in full riot gear were deployed to the five-star hotel on Sunday and allegedly used electric batons and irritant spray on employees engaged in a strike over labour rights.

Gasim, who said he had not consulted the president as he was away from Male', said it was his "duty" to send police. "Because of their presence, there was a danger for guests, employees and buildings," he said.

But he did not apologise for the alleged violence, instead thanking the police for their duty. And there only be an investigation “depending on the damage caused”, he said.

State minister Ahmed Muthaba said any action would make it “difficult to continue as a coalition". Gasim is a part of the Republican Party rather than Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party.

Order

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Gasim said the Police Commissioner Ahmed Faseeh had at first been unwilling to involve police but agreed after “two or three” attempts.

“I asked Faseeh two three times to send the police and he said he will consult with the executive board,” he said. “I was obliged as Home Minister to do this”.

“This was not to stop the strike and bar a constitutional right. But to remove the 10 fired staff because there were guests, property and other employees in danger,” he said.

“If police had not been sent,” he said, “and buildings had fire and people had been knifed, who would the public hold accountable?”

He acknowledged people had been hurt, adding: "I thank the police for sincerely attending to their duty".

Gasim added although he was responsible for giving the order for police involvement, he did not specify the number or the manner in which they should go to the resort.

It is unknown who gave instructions for police to go to the island in riot gear.

Asked about a human rights commission statement condemning the use of weapons and the violations of human rights, Gasim dismissed their report saying, "I believe he based his statement on hearsay".

Regarding a possible enquiry, Gasim told press the police commissioner would carry out an investigation “depending on the damage caused”.

Clash

Public Relations Manager at One and Only Reethi Rah Zhannie Long on Sunday said the company had sent for police because there was “violence”.

Asked what the alleged violence was, Zhannie said: “Before police came, basically they were running around”.

“There was a moment when they were running around the resort,” she continued.

Protestors say they only time they breached the guest area was when they ran into the main restaurant on Sunday morning away from police.

President of Tourism Employees Association Maldives (TEAM) Ahmed Easa says he was beaten by police while being arrested.

One officer allegedly told him: “I know who you are. You go on about your rights. I’ll give you your rights…I’m going to destroy you”.

Aishath Zanir, the resort’s sales and marketing coordinator, told Minivan News she was hit on the head by officers behind her. Several others allege receiving injuries.

Police later released them and left the island.

Coalition

On Monday, state minister for home affairs Ahmed Muthjaba (Mujay) went on the record saying Gasim had requested police a number of times, after Mujay was summoned to disclose information at a MDP meeting, according to reliable sources.

Mujay on Tuesday said he had spoken to the MDP about the issue on Monday but would not confirm what he said, saying only that it had now been “resolved”.

“If the minister sent the police with the intention of violence it's a problem but he says he didn't have this intention,” he said.

“It's a sensitive issue. If we try to hold people accountable, especially coalition people like Gasim then it will be very difficult to continue as a coalition,” he added.

And Mohamed Zuhair, press secretary at the president’s office, said the Police Commissioner Ahmed Faseeh, who has just taken over as head of the police following the removal of Adam Zahir, had been reluctant to send police.

“I think the police commissioner is aware of the democratic changes that are happening in the country,” he said.

“He has been briefed about being very careful about human rights and about the need for police to be patient with freedom of assembly,” he added.

Apology

President Mohamed Nasheed has meanwhile apologised for the incident, but said he has “full confidence” in all his ministers.

“We are extremely sorry that this has happened. We have to ensure that excessive force is never used in any of these instances,” he told Minivan News on Tuesday.

Asked about an investigation, he said his human rights ambassador was investigating the situation and would advise him on what course of action to take.

He added that as the government was going through a transition period, all situations would have to be dealt with in a “sensible” manner.

Asked whether the president's office would make a statement about the allegations, he said he was “not willing to do anything at the expense of democratic force".

"There is a wider picture...I can come out and rock the boat and lose everything,” he said.

Gasim ran for presidency in the first round of elections but later endorsed Nasheed in return for cabinet positions.

His Republican Party was created earlier this year after he quit as Minister for Finance under ex-President Gayoom.

Regarded as one of the wealthiest men in Maldives, Gasim is owner of the Villa Group of companies, which includes a number of resorts.

Human Rights statement one sided: Gasim

Miadhu Daily

Home Minister Gasim Ibrahim has said the decision to send police to One and Only Reethi Rah resort was not in violation of the right to strike, but in response to the concerns and requests which were received from the owners of the resort regarding the safety of property and other belongings of the resort. Gasim has also denied the accusations made by Human Rights Commission condemning the actions of the police in the resort and said Human Rights statement has not looked into the two sides of the incident.

" I have performed my legal duty. When a certain people have requested for help from the police for safety, I have to take action. Police was not sent there to break a strike which is a right given by the constitution. Police was sent because the owners of the resort made repeated requests for police to come for their help in fear that the strike held by some staff of the resort whose services have been terminated, might cause damage to the staff and property." Gasim explained the reason for sending police to the resort.

Home Minister further said it is difficult to accept the statement of the Human Rights Commission. The Ministe blamed the Commission for issuing a one-sided statement. He accused the Commission has not looked into the depth of the incident. The Minister stated it was not correct and responsible for such a Commission to make their judgement and issue a statement only after hearing the stories of strikers. Human Rights Commission officials were not there at the time of the happening, Gasim pointed out.

President’s Office intervenes to peacefully resolve Reethi Rah dispute

President's Office, Maldives

President’s Office has intervened to peacefully resolve Reethi Rah dispute.

The Government of Maldives welcomed the peaceful resolution to the One and Only Reethi Rah Resort industrial dispute. Resort staff returned to work this morning, after Vice President Dr. Waheed mediated a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between striking workers and the resort management.

The MoU includes a guarantee by resort management to formulate a timetable to implement the conditions enshrined in the 2008 Employment Act. Furthermore, the MoU contains a commitment by the management not to take disciplinary action against employees involved in the recent industrial action. The MoU also includes a commitment by resort staff to call off their protest and immediately return to work.

The agreement was signed by Paul Jones on behalf of resort operators Kerzner International. Ahmed Easa signed the agreement on behalf of the striking workers.

Vice President Dr. Waheed, mediating between the two sides at the request of President Nasheed, also signed the MoU. Hassan Latheef, Minister of Human Resources, Youth and Sports, and Ali Shiyam, Economic Advisor to President Nasheed, assisted the Vice President in the mediation process.

Commenting on the agreement, Vice President Dr. Waheed said: “The Government of Maldives welcomes the peaceful resolution to this matter and praises both sides for coming together to agree a mutually acceptable settlement.”

The Vice President also expressed regret that police were ordered onto the resort island in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The Vice President noted the historic nature of Tuesday’s settlement. The settlement is the first time in recent history that direct government mediation brought striking employees and management together to peacefully resolve their grievances.

The President and Vice President update the Cabinet on the measures taken by the Government to resolve the protests in Reethi Rah Resort

President's Office, Maldives

President Mohamed Nasheed and Vice President Dr. Mohamed Waheed have today updated the Members of the Cabinet on the measures taken by the Government to resolve the protests in Reethi Rah Resort.

The President said that the Government had been very closely observing the employees’ strike in the resort, and that a Government representative was sent to the resort to help resolve the problem.

Vice President Dr. Waheed said as part of Government’s efforts to resolve the problem, an agreement has now been reached, after talks held between the employees and management of Reethi Rah Resort.

Settlement Made After Four Day Reethi Rah Strike

As reported on Minivan News

A settlement between striking workers and employers has on Tuesday been made after late night meetings following a four-day mass protest by local staff at One and Only Reethi Rah resort.

“We have been able to come up to an agreement and a settlement. I think this is an excellent breakthrough in industry relations and in building democracy,” President Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) told Minivan News.

“Through the window of opportunity that we got last night after negotiations we can now map the future of the labour relations here,” he added.

The President’s Office has set up an interim committee which is to represent employers, members of the Tourism Employees Association Maldives and members of the government to deal with the dispute.

The committee will draw up deadlines for provisions sought by TEAM which will then be implemented by the management, according to Mohamed Zuhair, press secretary at the president’s office.

The details are currently being finalised in a cabinet meeting being held at the time of going to press, according to Zuhair.

Around 250 employees went on strike at the five star resort, clashing with riot police on Sunday morning. Around 200 held a “solidarity” protest in the capital, Male, after allegations emerged suggesting police used weapons on demonstrators.

The incident sparked protests across the country, with 100 employees striking at Meedhupparu Resort on Monday and Kihaadhuffaru Resort staff threatening to strike on 4 December.

“We are success. The whole strike is over and we started work at 1am,” says a butler who was participating in the protest.

“We are very happy for everything for what our government did for us,” he added.

Human Resources Minister Hassan Latheef on Sunday promised to establish a labour tribunal and labour relations authority to implement the new Employment Act, which was amended to include the tourism sector in October.

President Nasheed has said the problems were due to a lack of time to implement the Act, which came into power “only days” before the presidential elections.

“No government had any time to implement any of the issues addressed in the law and so there are lots of difficulties in trying to come up with a proper form,” he said.

Nasheed also said that while workers had rights in the constitution, employers and the industry had many rights.

“The constitution has a whole host of articles on property rights and other rights for the entrepreneur," he said on Tuesday.

Employees now had new rights, he says, “but they have to learn to exercise these rights according to international norms".

“For instance striking on shop floor, on industrial sites, that is not acceptable anywhere," he said.

And Tourism Minister Ali Sawad said he believed the settlement was “good of all parties concerned”.

“It seems a lot of things have not been addressed for several years. It is endemic not to tourism industry but to all sectors…rights have not been given the appropriate platform,” he said.

“From now on we will see the rights of the employees as well as employers be respected,” he said.

He denied that recent incidents would cause significant damage to the industry, saying the moves would restore confidence that there would be no more “hitches”.

“I don’t see any reason why tourists, investors or employers would voice their apprehension,” he said, adding that any issues had been at a “localised level”.

Bills will have to pass in parliament for a labour tribunal and labour relations authority.

The Employment Act brings a host of first-time rights to workers, including minimum wage and maximum working hours.

It was first ratified in May, but excluded the tourism sector, which Information Minister at the time saying it was a “mistake”.

After threats to strike over the country’s first multiparty elections, the parliament passed an amendment in early October which finally included the industry, excluding police and the armed forces instead.

The first round of elections was held on 8 October and second round was held on 28 October. Nasheed was sworn in on 11 November as fourth President of Maldives.

Reethi Rah protest resolved

The Reethi Rah protest was resolved around midnight last night with protesters, the resort management and the Maldives government signing an agreement to this effect.

The Reethi Rah management agreed to implement the new employment act and I understand all of the demands by the protesters have been met barring calls for the removal of the manager.

However, the issue of the illegal crackdown by police on the peaceful protest and the use of excessive force, which resulted in injuries to protesters, remains. And, the Home Minister, Gasim Ibrahim, who called in the riot police, is yet to explain his actions in public.

Meanwhile there are protests going in other resorts of the Maldives.

Resort owners need to understand that the new employment act is now an un-negotiable reality and any delay in implementing it increases the risk of prosecution for violation of the constitution.