Dubai: Most crimes committed by workers are due to ignorance of UAE laws and can be prevented by educating them, an official of the Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs (PCLA) said on Monday.
In a bid to raise labourers’ awareness on the local laws and subsequently decrease the crime rate among the workforce, the PCLA in Dubai has launched a one-year-long campaign under the slogan ‘Safe Work is My Life and My Future’.
“Raising workers’ awareness about the local laws as wells as their rights and responsibilities will reduce the crime rate among labourers by around 50 per cent,” Major General Obaid Mohair Bin Surour, Deputy Director of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) and Chairman of the PCLA, said
The campaign will distribute thousands of leaflets, posters and brochures among construction workers. The leaflets will be in Urdu, English and Arabic, and will outline the local laws.
“We find that most of the criminal offences among workers are because they are not aware about some of the local laws,” he said, “We are keen to prevent any violation of the workers’ rights and at the same time we want the workers to be responsible and to understand what they should and should not do.”
Maj Gen Bin Surour said working for someone else other than the official sponsor is among the most common crimes committed by workers.
“Most are not aware that there is a Dh50,000 fine for the offence,” he said. “Other crimes include rioting, theft, robbery, being drunk, perjury, gambling, overstaying a visa, drug trafficking and drug abuse.
“We also want workers to be fully aware about their rights regarding working hours, overtime, monthly salaries, medical benefits, days off, public holidays, end of service, and accommodation allowances.”
According to Maj Gen Bin Surour, the PCLA, along with other government branches such as the Public Prosecution and Ministry of Labour, met with companies, instructing them to distribute the leaflets and brochures to their workers. Workers will also be taught about personal safety at worksites and the importance of using protective gear such as safety helmets, ear protection, goggles, safety boots, dust mask, hi-visibility jackets and other safety equipment.
“We met with companies at the PCLA head office in Al Aweer and have issued guidelines that will ensure workers get these leaflets,” he said. “We will also be conducting workshops in various languages which will further educate them on the local laws.”
Maj Gen Bin Surour said there are more than 200 nationalities living in the country and that laws differed from one country to the next.: “We hope that the labourers who come here understand their rights and responsibilities from the moment they arrive at the airport. “We encourage the labourers to be on the alert and to be in touch with concerned authorities here if they face any problems to avoid breaking the law and to avoid committing any crime to avoid being punished.”
