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: UAE
Free Zones Newsletter - Issue
82 - May 2009 |
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UN lauds UAE's progress over labourers
The UAE government has been praised for its progress
in launching new measures to improve the living and
working conditions of workers.
Electronic payment of workers’ salaries, new
accommodation criteria setting standards for camp
living conditions, and giving terminated workers
more time to seek alternative employment are among
plans drawn up by the Ministry of Labour over the
past week.
“What we see here is a strong and repeated expressed
commitment to improve things rapidly, so we can only
welcome it,” said Renaud Detalle, of the UN Office
of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (UNOHCHR)
at the GCC Leadership Summit on labour management in
Dubai.
“The government is moving in part out of political
will and partly in response to local and
international pressure.”
The ministry announced on Wednesday labourers will
be able to notify the authorities straight away if
their monthly salaries are delayed via a dedicated
hotline as part of its new ‘My Salary’ scheme.
Under the scheme, workers will be paid
electronically, making it easier to track late
payments or inaccurate sums.
Around 500,000 workers already receive their
salaries electronically but the ministry is keen to
extend the measure, giving priority to low wage
earners.
If a labourer spots a discrepancy then he can call
the hotline that in turn alerts a labour inspector
via SMS at the salary protection office.
The inspector will then call a member of staff who
deals with complaints to investigate the issue,
according to Humaid Bin Demas, Director General of
the Ministry of Labour at a press conference in
Dubai to mark International Workers Day.
''The service allows the worker to report any delay
in receiving his salary or deduction from his
salary. The worker can keep in touch around the
clock with the Ministry through its website or the
free hot line from 7.00 am to 11.00 pm daily, except
Friday,'' he explained, in a statement on the
official WAM news agency.
''The inspector then visits the company of the
worker and takes the necessary action without
revealing the identity of the worker so as to ensure
that he will retain his job,'' Demas added.
The call centre is able to receive complaints in 12
different languages.
Other measures include a new set of accommodation
criteria that set specific standards for camp living
and hygiene conditions, which must be met by
employers.
Also under consideration are proposals allowing more
time for terminated workers to find alternative
employment, reduce fees for visa transfer and
encourage flexible employment.
“These and other measures are designed to promote
flexible employments and worker protection in good
and bad times,” said Yousuf Abdulghani, executive
director, policies and strategy at the Ministry of
Labour at the GCC Leadership Summit.
Asked whether the ministry had any plans to
introduce a minimum wage in the country, he said:
“We are moving towards wage protection. We are
looking at the labour market and our interest is
wage protection.” |
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Courtesy ITP
DIGITAL
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Hot
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