Landmark Saudi move to protect abused workers

Riyadh: In a major move to curb the mistreatment of foreign workers by their sponsors, the Saudi authorities have taken a landmark decision to take punitive measures against errant employers.

The National Recruitment Committee at the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry decided on Sunday to furnish the Ministry of Labour with a detailed list of Saudi sponsors who have mistreated their workers.

Sa'ad Al Badah, chairman of the committee, told reporters that the initiative was the result of a lack of cooperation on the part of some employers regarding furnishing recruitment offices with clarifications sought by the committees.

"The Ministry of Labour will take appropriate measures against employers if allegations against them regarding mistreatment, delay of salaries or violation of any of the provisions of the labour contract signed with their employees, are found true and substantial," he said.

According to Al Badah, the recruitment office will contact the employer seeking clarification in case any complaints are lodged by workers and will verify them before forwarding them to the ministry for further action.

He urged all recruitment offices in various parts of the kingdom to furnish the committee with details about labour problems, including copies of the identities of all employers, their full names and mobile numbers as well as the gist of the labour problem and efforts that have been made to solve them.

Meanwhile, Dr Abdul Wahid Al Humaid, Deputy Minister of Labour, told Gulf News that the ministry is striving to maintain a balance between the number of foreign labourers hired every year.

"The percentage of workers hired from one country should not exceed 10 per cent of the total workforce recruited. The total number of workers hired will not exceed 20 per cent of the Saudi population by 2010," he said.

He denied reports about the move to reduce the number of workers hired from certain countries.

"As far as the nationality of the would-be workers are concerned, it will be decided on the basis of several factors, and these factors include the demand of the private sector for certain posts and their preference for some nationalities as well as the expertise of some nationalities in certain professions," he said while reiterating the determination of the ministry to protect foreign workers from any sort of mistreatment, exploitation and deprivation of rights by implementing the labour law.

He said the number of labour disputes that had come up before preliminary courts in the kingdom during the first quarter of 2008 reached 2,726, of which 963 were registered by Saudis and the remaining 1,763 (64.67 per cent) by foreigners.

How do you think this will help expatriate employees work in safer environments? Do you think the problem lies in the legal system or its implementation? Why? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form below to send your comments.

There are many companies in KSA that do not care for the welfare of their employees. Unless the government is transparent, nothing can be done about it.
Vaidyanathan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 27, 2008, 09:16