Dubai: A mobile-phone service, tailored to the financial needs of low-income workers in the UAE, was announced on Monday.
The initiative was launched by the Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs in Dubai (PCLAD) and du, the telecom service provider.
The service is part of the committee's aim to improve the quality of workers' life, Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, head of PCLAD, said. "We have to take care of workers who help build our country."
'Alo', which mean hallo in Arabic, is a pay-as-you-go mobile service, which has been designed to suit the needs of blue-collar workers in the country.
Workers will not have to pay joining and renewal fees, but only a monthly installment fee of Dh5, which adds up to Dh60 a year. However, call tariff is the same for all du subscribers.
Osman Sultan, du, Chief Executive Officer, said: "Alo is a corporate-social-responsibility initiative from du to design a customized communication tool that will directly benefit the large expatriate labour workforce."
The service, apart from the usual mobile package, will inform workers about changes in labour laws, provide labour news and other labour related information and will enable easy communication between workers and PCLAD.
Any worker can subscribe to the service through two 'Alo' shops located in the committee premises near the Sonapur and Jebel Ali labour accommodation. Workers need to submit a passport copy with valid visa page.
Workers can contact the committee on its hotline: 8009119.
What do you think of this initiative? Should the concerned authorities initiate more such services catering to the low-income groups?
