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Bahrain likely to ban working in midday heat

A law to protect labourers from the scorching heat by banning menial work between 1 and 4pm is being considered by the government, the labour minister said yesterday.

  • By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
  • Published: 00:00 June 19, 2006
  • Gulf News

Manama: A law to protect labourers from the scorching heat by banning menial work between 1 and 4pm is being considered by the government, the labour minister said yesterday.

In a press statement Dr Majeed Al Alawi attributed the move to a "genuine keenness to protect the rights of immigrant workers, particularly those in menial jobs."

According to a draft law prepared by the ministry, construction work will be banned for three hours when temperatures reach their peak.

The draft law is part of a series of measures adopted by the ministry to improve living and working conditions for the thousands of immigrants, mostly from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who are employed in the construction sector.

Air-conditioned buses

The measures include promulgating a law that would oblige contractors to provide air-conditioned buses or vehicles to transport labourers to and from work, and the implementation of a new regulation on July 1 that compels companies employing more than 10 people to pay salaries into bank accounts.

Labour undersecretary Shaikh Abdul Rahman Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa said the bank account salary regulation was prompted by delays in granting labourers their dues.

"The rule will allow everybody to assess whether the workers are getting their dues fairly and on time," the official said yesterday at a press conference.

Officials can also be promptly alerted whenever a dispute over unpaid wages looms, allowing them to take the necessary measures, Shaikh Abdul Rahman said.

Bahrain and the other five GCC countries have come under pressure from labour and human rights organisations to honour workers' rights and improve the living and working conditions of the estimated 12 million unskilled and semi-skilled foreign labourers.

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