Manpower supply company launched

Abu Dhabi: The first UAE manpower supply company has been launched to bring workers on its sponsorship and hire them out to the government and the private businesses, a senior official said yesterday.

Obaid Saif Obaid Al Khamiri, Chief Executive Officer of Sawaeed Employment, told Gulf News the company will cover all sectors in the country including construction, oil and gas, aviation, marine, healthcare, hospitality, banks, cleaning and security.

The company, Al Khamiri said, will organise the labour force flow to the UAE in accordance with the labour law.

"This company is different from other recruitment agencies as it is responsible for its workers' rights and benefits throughout their stay in the country."

Al Khamiri said Sawaeed will take responsibility for the employment visa, medical insurance, air ticket, accommodation, meals, transportation, salaries, end of service benefits and annual leave, before all authorities.

"Workers will be hired to public and private businesses based on signing contracts for short, medium and long terms," he said.

Al Khamiri said Sawaeed will also be responsible for salaries for workers who remain idle for reasons beyond their control.

Dr Ali Bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi, Minister of Labour, described recruitment agencies as corrupt and mafia-like organisations.

Mafia

"All labour agencies, foreign and UAE alike, are corrupt and operate like the mafia, and must be eliminated," said Dr Al Ka'abi.

There are about 170 labour agencies across the country licensed by the ministry.

Many of them pressure workers to take illegal loans to pay for their own visa, sources said.

The practice is illegal under UAE Labour Law and has forced many workers to take loans carrying high interest rate.

Earlier, Gulf News undertook an investigation and found dozens of companies engaged in this trade often exploiting labourers for salaries ranging from Dh3 to Dh6 an hour.

Al Khamiri said Sawaeed's main objectives are organising the labour market, assisting companies to complete their projects, protecting rights of workers and providing them with good living standards by building labour cities matching world standards.

The Dh45 million company, which is planned to be offered for public subscription within two years, will fight practices of illegal dealing in visas, where agents arrange for visas for workers and leave them idle, said Al Khamiri.

"Sawaeed can as well assist companies which obtained group visas from the Labour Ministry in arranging recruitment trips abroad. The company will provide airport drop and pick-up, arrangement of interview venue, shortlist and screening of CVs in coordination with its agents abroad."