TEAM endorses President Solih for re-election

The Tourism Employees Association of Maldives (TEAM) declared its endorsement of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate, in the upcoming presidential election.

According to a statement released by the association on Saturday, a majority of TEAM members have thrown their support behind the president.

TEAM, an organisation dedicated to advocating for the rights of tourism sector employees, cited President Solih’s “significant efforts” to safeguard the rights of resort workers, “unprecedented” in the history of previous governments.

The association listed several measures undertaken by the government to protect the rights of workers in the tourism sector, including the introduction of a minimum wage that has resulted in substantial salary increases for numerous resort employees. Other key actions encompassed amending the law to enforce a 10% service charge and enhance the monitoring system, preventing dismissals without valid grounds, coordinating school holidays in consultation with resort staff, permitting employees to leave resorts during their free time without prior permission, and the introduction of the Workplace Safety and Security Bill and Industrial Relations Bill after consultations with TEAM.

Furthermore, TEAM emphasised President Solih’s commitments for a second term as a decisive factor in their endorsement. The association specifically highlighted the president’s pledges to provide housing for tourism workers and to augment the share of local employment in resorts as reasons for backing his re-election bid.