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Dubai: Uday Kumar, a 30-year-old Indian worker in Al Naboodah Construction, told Gulf News that he is grateful to Dubai for hosting him and thousands of other workers and for safeguarding labour rights in their workplaces.
Acting as a representative of thousands of workers, Kumar addressed top officials and managers at a ceremony in Dubai to honour companies for protecting labourers rights.
“I came to Dubai before one year to achieve my dreams. The company provided good facilities for us with best accommodation and food. I’m happy in UAE,” Kumar said during the ceremony to honour the winners of the Taqdeer (appreciation) Award Programme, an initiative that recognises companies which implement best global practices in safeguarding labour rights in the workplace.
Kumar said he has nothing but “appreciation to Dubai for the joy and progress that we proudly give our families back home.”
A total of 31 winning companies were honoured with trophies by Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Also recognised were top-performing workers working in different companies across various sectors, including about 50 workers and supervisors who received prizes.
In its third year, the award has managed to include more than one million workers and has come to witness a 77% growth in the number of participating companies in different sectors compared to its second year, said Maj-Gen Obaid Muhair Bin Surour, chairman of Taqdeer Award and deputy director-general of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).
He said companies were evaluated by more than 105 qualified assessors based on essential fundamentals such as labour policies, occupational health; cultural and work environment factors such as communication, creativity and innovation, rules and regulations; as well as results based on labour perceptions and performance indicators.
“The award now has a much bigger role with respect to establishing the best relations between companies and workers. This is what we have seen through the level of improvement introduced by the companies to the work environment, including: making important adjustments to their organisational structures, creating innovation departments, promoting open door policy and adopting surveys to determine the level of workers’ satisfaction,” he said during the ceremony held at Meydan Hotel on Monday.
Many organisations were reported to have changed their organisational structure, upgraded their facilities, and adjusted their policies to meet the needs of the workers, he added.
“The award was launched in 2016 with an aim to building fruitful and successful work partnerships between employers and employees; ensuring their respective rights; and motivating companies to strengthen the pillars of decent living for their workers, taking care of them and protecting their rights,” he said.
Participating companies were given a rating by the judging committee ranging from one to five stars, based on the number of points they received in an evaluation.
Companies that received a five- and four-star rating will be given priority in government projects and a competitive advantage in bidding for international contracts.
Taqdeer Award 2018 Winners
5-Star Rating
Mai Dubai LLC from the manufactures sector
Amana Steel Buildings Contracting LLC
Imdaad LLC from the service sector
Kimoha Entrepreneurs Limited
Aswaaq LLC from
4-Star Rating
BIC Contracting LLC
United Engineering Construction Company (LLC)
Aroma International Building Contracting LLC
Dulsco.LLC
Desert Landscape Co. LLC
Multiplex Constructions LLC
Bam Higgs & Hill LLC
Al Naboodah Construction
Arabtec Construction LLC
Geodis Freight Forwarding LLC
Agility Global Logistics FZE the best in the free zone sector
3-Star Rating
Eros Group
Danway Electrical & Mechanical Engineering LLC
UTS Carrier LLC
Hard Precast Buildings Systems (L.L.C)
Al Nasr Contracting Co. LLC
Future Metro Tech. Cont. LLC
Nestle Middle East Manufacturing
Larsen & Toubro Limited ECC
EFS Facilities Services
Crown Emirates Co. Ltd
GECO Mechanical & Electrical Ltd.Co
Robert Bosch Middle East
Al Sahel Contracting Company L.L.C
SD (Middle East) LLC
MS Construction LLC
