Ministry accused of misinterpreting regulations in rejecting Iskandhar Workers Union

Maldives Trade Union Congress (MTUC) has accused the Education Ministry of misinterpreting regulations in its decision to deny recognition to the Iskandhar Workers Union (IWU), a trade union that teachers of Iskandhar School are struggling to get registered.

Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu was questioned regarding this at the Parliament on Wednesday.

Shafeeu told the Parliament that the Iskandhar School’s principal made the decision to deny recognition to IWU and prohibit its activities within the school premises at Education Ministry’s instructions.

He said that the similarity between the name "Iskandhar Workers Union" and "Iskandhar School" could create confusion, and is therefore in violation of regulations on naming trade unions.

MTUC, an apex national center representing various labor organizations across the country, issued a statement on Wednesday night condemning the response.

The MTUC believes the provisions are being misinterpreted, and applied in a way that goes against the spirit of the Industrial Relations Act and the fundamental right of workers to organize.

“While the Minister relies on these regulations to justify the Ministry's position, we believe that the law has been interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent with the purpose of the Industrial Relations Act and the fundamental right of workers to organize,” said the MTUC.

The group said that the provisions relating to the naming of unions are intended to prevent confusion between different legal entities and organizations, and were never intended to prevent workers from identifying their union through the name of the workplace they represent.

“The name "Iskandhar Workers Union" is clearly distinguishable from "iskandhar School." The inclusion of the words "Workers Union" makes it clear that the organization is an independent trade union representing workers and not the educational institution itself. There is no reasonable basis to conclude that such a name would mislead the public or create confusion regarding the identity of the school,” said the group.

The MTUC said that it is common and widely accepted around the world for workers organizations to use the name of their workplace, employer, or sector as part of their union name.

“This practice enables workers, employers, and the public to clearly identify the employees represented by the union. Preventing workers from doing so creates unnecessary obstacles to organizing and undermines the very purpose of trade union representation,” said the MTUC.

The MTUC said it was particularly concerned by Shafeeu’s own admission that the Iskandhar School’s principal acted on the instructions of the Education Ministry in rejecting the union and preventing its activities.

Statement on the Minister's Decision to Restrict Workers' Right to Union Representation.@ilo @TAMaldives @ILOColombo @ituc @eduint @MoEdumv @HomeMinistrymv @MateyZakir pic.twitter.com/uJXO1KKXEj

— MTUC (@mtucMV) June 24, 2026

“Public authorities have a responsibility to respect and protect workers' rights, including the right to freely establish and participate in trade unions without interference,” said the group, adding that the Maldives international commitments require public authorities to refrain from actions that interfere with or restrict workers' ability to establish and operate organizations of their own choosing.

The MTUC said that teachers and employees of Iskandhar School were entitled to the same rights and protections afforded to all workers under the Constitution, the Industrial Relations Act, and international labor standards.

“The formation of a trade union by school employees is a legitimate exercise of these rights and should be respected and protected,” said the MTUC.

The MTUC called on both the Education Ministry and the Registrar of Unions to uphold the principles of freedom of association and ensure that workers' rights are respected in accordance with national law and international labor standards.

“We further urge the relevant authorities to remove any barriers that prevent workers from exercising their right to organize and to allow the Iskandhar Workers Union to operate freely and independently,” added the group.

The MTUC stressed that the right to form and join a trade union is a fundamental human and labor right, and that any attempt to restrict that right through an overly broad interpretation of administrative regulations risks undermining the principles of democratic labor relations and social dialogue that are essential to a fair and just society.