New Regulations Governing Trade Unions Introduced in Maldives

The Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development has introduced new regulations aimed at governing the registration and operations of trade unions in the Maldives.

These regulations outline the procedures for registering workers unions, employers unions, federations, and union centers.

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These regulations stem from the Industrial Relations Act, which was ratified in January and mandates such regulatory frameworks.

Key provisions include that workers unions can be registered upon submission of a form bearing the signatures of at least seven workers, while employer unions require a minimum of three signatures. Existing unions are required to complete their registration within three months.

The registrar of unions is obliged to register any union meeting the basic application requirements within 30 days. In cases where applications are incomplete, the registrar must notify applicants within 15 days, and upon resubmission, register the union within a further 15 days. Failure to adhere to these timelines results in automatic registration of the union.

Additionally, federations can be formed by five or more unions of the same category, following a similar registration process. Furthermore, two or more federations can establish union centers.

Fees for registration vary: MVR 5,000 for workers and employers unions, MVR 10,000 for federations, and MVR 15,000 for National Trade Union Center and National Employers Union Center registrations.

The regulations also set forth requirements concerning the naming, branding, and operational rules of unions.