Minister of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail has expressed concern over the failure to place two bills proposed by the government to protect workers' rights on the agenda.
In a tweet, Minister Fayyaz highlighted the importance of the Industrial Relations Bill and Occupational Safety Bill for the economy and the protection of workers' rights. In the tweet, the minister tagged the speaker of parliament and said that the bills should be placed on the agenda, debated and passed.
The Occupational Safety and Health Bill was proposed on behalf of the government by Parliamentarian Ahmed Abdulla in November 2022 and is under review by the Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs. The bill aims to ensure the safety of employees at work and a fair work environment and enables fines to be imposed on employers for unsafe workplaces and for workers to receive compensation for injuries sustained at work.
The Industrial Relations Bill was proposed on behalf of the government by Parliamentarian Ibrahim Shareef. The bill aims to introduce the legal framework required for registering unions for workers. The bill was formulated according to recommendations made by the Maldives Trade Union Congress (MTUC).