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Date updated : 13-Sep-2012

Status: closed

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Hilton Maldives luxury resort no paradise for workers who claim their rights

Guests at the Hilton Conrad Rangali Islands Resort in Maldives pay 1,000 dollars a night to stay in luxury villas located on two private islands. But conditions are less than luxurious for the workers who serve them.

Last year, some 350 workers held a peaceful work stoppage to highlight their longstanding demand for a clear reckoning of the service charge which makes up a crucial l part of their pay. Since 2009 the IUF-affiliated Tourism Employees Association of Maldives (TEAM) had attempted unsuccessfully to raise the issue with management. Following management assurances that they were prepared to discuss the issue, the workers returned to work.

Twenty-nine workers were then terminated. Union supporters were at the top of the list, which included employees with 10 or more years of service. Twenty-two workers challenged their dismissals at the Employment Tribunal. In February, the Tribunal ruled that the mass firings were unfair, and ordered management to reinstate the workers within 10 days with full back pay.

The workers are still waiting. Management refused to comply with the court decision, and then appealed it. The appeals process is only now getting underway. The workers have been more than patient. Use the form below to send a message to demand that Hilton management reinstate these 22 workers who stood up for their rights and recognize their union!