Ground handling staff at Maldives’ Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) have called in sick en masse in protest over pay grievances, leading to flight departure delays today.
The Maldives Airports Corporation Ltd (MACL) has downplayed the matter and said “operations at the airport are normal.”
A ground handling staff member who wished to remain anonymous told Minivan News that staff called in sick starting at 11:00 pm on Wednesday. Only eight of the 16 scheduled staff turned up for the night shift, while only four of the 16 scheduled staff reported for the morning and afternoon shifts, the source said.
MACL’s HR Manager Ali Huzaim confirmed that “some ground handling staff have called in sick,” but said the reduced man power had not affected flight departures.
“Labour laws guarantee employees 30 days of sick leave in a year. This is a right they have. There are some who have called in sick in the ground-handling department. However, there have been no flight delays because of reduced manpower,” Huzaim said.
CEO of MACL, Ibrahim ‘Bandu’ Saleem said 10-12 percent of the company’s employees were on leave at any given point and that today was no different.
“Operations are normal at the airport,” Saleem said.
Despite Huzaim’s claim there were no delays in flight departures, ground handling staff told Minivan News that Condor Flight DE 3327, Air India Flight AI 264, Hainan Airline Flight HU 7952, Singapore Airline Flight SQ 461, and British Airways Flight BA 2042 faced between 30-45 minutes delay in departure.
Minivan News confirmed the reports independently. Flights arriving in the Maldives meanwhile experienced only minor delays today.
“MACL has not carried out work appraisals for two years now, which means we do not get any promotions. The company regulations stipulate that a percentage of profits be distributed among the company’s staff. However, that has not happened. Further, we still continue to turn up to work in GMR’s uniforms,” they said.
GMR-MAHB won a concession agreement to manage and upgrade Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) under the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration, which was ousted from power on 7 February 2012 amid protests and a police mutiny.
The new government, comprising a coalition of former opposition parties under current President Mohamed Waheed, declared in late 2012 that GMR-MAHB’s agreement was ‘void ab initio’ (invalid from the outset) and gave the developer seven days’ notice to leave the country.
“We have had several meetings with [MACL management] about our grievances, but we have had no response from them,” the source added.
Meanwhile, Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) who started calling in sick en masse on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday have resumed work following a Wednesday night meeting with Saleem, an air traffic controller who wished to remain anonymous told Minivan News.
The ATCs are demanding the reinstatement of a professional grading system, adherence to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), and the holding of the presidential run-off election that remains suspended by the Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, MACL denied the delays from the ATCs calling in sick; however, pilots and Trans Maldivian Airways confirmed some delays due to the protest.
Ahmed Fazeel, Business Development Manager at Trans Maldivian said although seaplanes were operating without any delays today, the company had experienced delays on Wednesday because of “something to do with the air traffic controllers.”
Staff at Maldives Customs Services also stopped work today in protest over corruption and unequal treatment of employees.
The Tourism Employees Association of the Maldives (TEAM) and Maldives Ports Workers Union (MPWU) last week threatened prolonged strikes over the Supreme Court’s order to delay elections in an ongoing case filed by Jumhooree Party to annul the first round of presidential elections held on September 7.
The two organisations have told Minivan News they are waiting on the Supreme Court verdict to decide how to proceed.
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Strikes are not allowed to affect public services of fundamental importance in most civilized countries.
1. INIA is in effect the only real gateway to the Maldives from the outside world.
2. Flight service without delay is crucial for the tourism industry.
3. The tourism industry comprises more than 70% of our GDP and everything from pre-schools to Salafist organizations depend on income from tourism for their continued operations.
4. Therefore, smooth running of INIA may be described as a public service of fundamental importance.
5. The ongoing ATC strike demanding pay raises is both immoral (ATC staff already receive higher than average pay) and if allowed to continue breaches internationally recognized principles on conducting strikes noted above.
MACL management should work to pass guidelines on strike action incorporating the principle preventing disruption of key services. The concept should also be incorporated into Maldivian labor law. If not a teacher's strike could effectively shut down schools, striking crew on board public ferries could halt traffic between Hulhumale/Villimale and Male or a health professional's strike could paralyze the public hospital.
6.
how do u know that Atc staff recieve higher than average salary.
"Strikes are not allowed to affect public services of fundamental importance in most civilized countries".
Wrong!
Air transport and schools/teaches are not considered all that "fundamental" in civilized (read democratic) countries. And strikes are accordingly allowed within these sectors.
So just go ahead and strike..
all these actions are initiated by Nasheed and Nasheed do not want this country to prevail any peace and harmony .
he is the man of violence .
NO ELECTION, NO TOURISM INDUSTRY!!!
@tsk tsk on Thu, 3rd Oct 2013 9:20 PM
"Strikes are not allowed to affect public services of fundamental importance in most civilized countries."
Depends on YOUR definition of "civilized countries". If, by that you mean, North Korea, China or other autocratic regimes, then you'd be right.
Have you never heard of continental wide paralysis caused by European air traffic controllers going on strike? Have you also never heard of firemen in very old and very established democracies going on strike?
Old chap, you need to sit down and drink your Horlicks. All this political turmoil must be getting to you.
@facts on Fri, 4th Oct 2013 12:46 AM
"all these actions are initiated by Nasheed and Nasheed do not want this country to prevail any peace and harmony ."
Hey, kuribee, facts or just dumb a*s, didn't I tell you to f**k off?
Man, it's great to see tsk tsk and the rest of the ruder finn swine panicking. All this time they spent gloating at us commoners - now we shut their finance lines down and they're babbling about 'rule of law'.
putting the gun to someone else's head this time.
Gola Gayoom is responsible for all these actions.You Gayooms bugs, we will not give you any more chance.
There has been no peace and harmony in the Maldives during the last 33 years..
A strike would prove that for once Maldivians could work together (in peace and harmony).
@facts
first of all if you are a regular on Minivan, you should know I use the name 'facts' and i support Nasheed to the core!
So pls stop confusing readers and pick another name. By the way there is no word 'violence' is President Nasheed. It is with you and your goon leaders
Striking is not the best way to resolve conflicts as it disrupts the organisation and weakens its operations.
If the people continue to strike there will be more demands for cheap foreign staff to guarantee minimal service.
Actually to be on the safe side, all organisations in Maldives should ensure that local and foreign staff are equally employed to avoid any service disruption due to strike, sick leaves,...
@facts.
Such logic!All these actions are initiated by Nasheed! What do you mean? Nasheed actually started this strike? Or he gave ordinary people the right to strike?
Look at the facts as they exist! The rights of ordinary people have been trampled on by a group of stupid, corrupt, uneducated and amoral go-getter! Why don't you mention this- fact finder?
And how do you deduce by all this that Nasheed is a man of violence?
Another modi/kuribee in the making!
Try to make sense, just gushing out with you hatred is always a bad look!
Perhaps Abdulla Riyaz can send some SO officers to plug the void.
Very proud of this incredible achievement by my fellow noncompoop country men!
We have very responsible, farsighted great men and women in our country! They follow their pied piper like bloody rats!
Condor Flight DE 3327, Air India Flight AI 264, Hainan Airline Flight HU 7952, Singapore Airline Flight SQ 461, and British Airways Flight BA 2042 faced between 30-45 minutes delay in departure
@tsk tsk on Thu, 3rd Oct 2013 9:20 PM
“Strikes are not allowed to affect public services of fundamental importance in most civilized countries.”
"Depends on YOUR definition of “civilized countries”. If, by that you mean, North Korea, China or other autocratic regimes, then you’d be right."
No, I am writing about Northern Europe/Scandinavia. I am always amazed as to how little autocratic Maldivians know about the real world..
And here nobody drinks Horlicks - whatever it is (sounds disgusting)..
Beauty. Got them this time.
People wants Anni. Human rights in place.
So no to Arabian donkeys! Say no to Pakistani deviants and their harsh shariah laws.
@Nils on Fri, 4th Oct 2013 3:39 PM
"No, I am writing about Northern Europe/Scandinavia. I am always amazed as to how little autocratic Maldivians know about the real world.."
Nils, you've misunderstood the post I wrote. It was in reply to @tsk tsk. I was referring to HIS definition of civilised countries!
And yes, in Europe (South, North, West, East) strikes are a part of life and has been for a very long time. In any given day, there'd be someone or group on strike in some part of that continent. It's a way of ensuring that the rights of the minority are not trampled upon.
Some Maldivians have yet to understand what fairness means.
who call to get a group of young people to fight with Poice?
who calls to burn down V Tv ?
Who call to put fire on DhiTV?
Who arrested the judge outside the constitution ?
Who locked the supreme court outside the constitutional right ?
Who ask storm the police barricades ?
Who are asked turndown public buildings ?
Who gave illegal orders to police and MNDF uniformed people on 6th Feb 2012 ?
Who is having demonstration before, during and after being the President ? and who were in the forefront of the demonstrators ?
This is why I am saying Nasheed is a prompter of violence in this country.
@Nasheed on Fri, 4th Oct 2013 6:44 PM
You are perfectly right! I misunderstood, and we are in full agreement..
I just hope that Maldivians, for once, can get their act together in solidarity.
A strike would leave the present semblance of a government defenceless.
Sorry about my misunderstanding,
Nils
@facts on Fri, 4th Oct 2013 7:06 PM
"This is why I am saying Nasheed is a prompter of violence in this country."
Just f*ck off, will you?
Some Maldivians have yet to understand about sovereignty and the sheer idiocy that is blind mimicry of what you find when you've barely scratched the surface of foreign cultures and societies.
Sadly for our Europhiles, I am not wrong on this one. Please look up regulations on strikes that may disrupt fundamental services and look how stringent they are in the countries you've cited.
Then think about what services are fundamental to us here in the Maldives.
I never ever suggested that strikes should be outlawed. Yes, everyone has the right to collective action to assert their rights. Meanwhile employers also have the right to regulate such strikes and even the State has the right to intervene and force and end to strikes if they threaten fundamental services. Please refer to such intervention in Canada and the US in recent days. Also I sincerely believe we should learn from practices elsewhere but refrain from copying them wholesale when we try to frame our labor laws to suit our very unique socio-political make-up.
Once again back to the topic, I don't believe the current strike is of that serious a nature to prompt intervention or a forced end. However I was merely saying that newfound rights are bound to be abused or exercised without restraint in the early days of democracy. The government needs to react and respond by opening up debate in Parliament about forms of regulation. Of course, regulations and controls should not be used to extinguish those rights entirely. Just enough to protect the rights of employers as well as those at the receiving end of services.
It is natural for pro-labor persons at the very left to speak with their particular bias. It is however a fallacy when several leftist parties in Asian countries often try to legitimize their behavior by claiming they are closer to the European epitome.
Oh dear whatever shall we do?
Our immigration system is totally buggered because we don't understand computers.
Bangladesh has banned the recruitment of its workers due to human trafficking.
Most of our tourists are now from China and not from Europe.
Our elections have gone belly up and we could be another North Korea soon.
And now our only decent airport is in TERMINAL decline.
Oh dear whatever shall we do now?
@Nasheed.
Instead saying fuck off, why can not you answer my question.?
This is why i am saying Nasheed is a cult and promoter of violence in this country
Reiterate that " Nasheed is the man of violence "
who call to get a group of young people to fight with Poice?
Self-Defense is the right. If you hit us, we have the right to strike back. An eye for an eye. Go edit the Quran if you disagree... if you dare.
who calls to burn down V Tv ?
The voice in your head.
Who call to put fire on DhiTV?
The other voice in your head.
Who arrested the judge outside the constitution ?
Child abusers deserve to be executed, not arrested.
Who locked the supreme court outside the constitutional right ?
Porn studios deserve to be locked up. 😀
Who ask storm the police barricades ?
PPM. I even have pics.
Who are asked turndown public buildings ?
Don't like us striking? Surrender.
Who gave illegal orders to police and MNDF uniformed people on 6th Feb 2012 ?
Since when was arresting looters an illegal order? 😀
Who is having demonstration before, during and after being the President ? and who were in the forefront of the demonstrators ?
A true leader - a man of the people who refuses to hide behind his title.
Maldivians are very good at living in denial.