Striking Teachers Give Government A Month

Schools were in “chaos” on Tuesday, according to the education ministry, amid a teachers’ strikes which saw up to 70 per cent of teachers in the capital, Malé, fail to turn up to work in the afternoon.

But the teachers’ association has now suspended the strike, saying they will allow government one month to specify a timeframe for pay rises.

The groundbreaking strike was the first industrial action in the Maldives to be recognised by authorities.

But though the government has now started procedures to set up a new pay commission, teachers have still been offered no guarantees of higher salaries, and government has not ruled out taking measures against them over the strike.
Teachers on Tuesday were calling for immediate implementation of a new pay structure first pledged in 2006, after the finance ministry rejected requests this week to increase salaries immediately.

On Sunday, finance minister Gasim Ibrahim said the budget could not accommodate a hike in teachers’ salaries, currently at Rf 4,195 (US$329) per month, with Rf 2,000 (US$157) in benefits.

The government says it will create a new pay advisory board to oversee wages for all public servants, but has made no specific concessions to teachers.

Spokesperson for the Association of Teachers Link Abdullah Mohamed said the group had called off the strike, and are now offering the relevant government ministries one month to concede to their demands.

The move is “to respect the human rights commission (HRCM), civil service commission and parliament’s appeal, and [government’s] promise they would do everything they can to increase pay,” according to the association.

The commissions had asked teachers to hold back from striking, with the HRCM saying the teachers were entitled to seek their rights, but should also consider those of students.

But the association say they will “rethink” their decision should changes not materialise.