Parliament on Monday passed a bill on industrial relations to legalise the formation of workers’ unions and to ensure the right to participate in the activities of such unions.
Forming, joining and operating trade unions are rights guaranteed in the constitution. However, despite the previous formation of workers’ unions, the associations and groups did not have legal powers due to the absence of a special law to date.
The industrial relations bill comprised of 11 chapters passed by Parliament includes:
- Sectors with the right to form trade unions
- Rules for the formation and operation of trade unions and employers’ unions
- Collective bargaining rules for resolving disputes between workers and employers
- Rules for implementing matters related to trade unions
The Social Affairs Committee that reviewed the bill made 24 amendments during the committee stage. Notable important changes include determining the minimum number of members required to register a union, organizing inactive unions and specifying fines and penalties.
While a minimum of seven signatures is required to register a workers’ union, three signatures are required to form an employers’ union. The committee also reduced the maximum fine imposed under the law to MVR 50,000 from up to MVR 100,000.
Other amendments brought by the committee include changes to the collective bargaining process and to the composition of the Tripartite Labor Advisory Board and Industrial Dispute Resolution Division as well as authorizing the Registrar of Unions to take action against unions that do not comply with orders. The minister was also authorized to appoint the Director General and some periods in the bill were lengthened.
The bill was passed unanimously by Parliament with the votes of 68 MPs in attendance. The law will come into force three months after it is ratified and published in the gazette.
Workers’ unions have been calling for an industrial relations law for several years. Enacting such a law was a pledge of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The bill was submitted to Parliament by the previous government.
However, after a first reading in March and preliminary debate in April, work on the bill stalled amid the split in the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). The bill was sent to review after the debate stage ended in October. The committee completed work on the bill last week.
