Report 'does not reflect ground realities'

Abu Dhabi/ Dubai: A report released in Dubai yesterday by the organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) on UAE labour policies does not reflect the reality of conditions on the ground and ignores the progress that has been made in addressing the issues, an official source has stated.

"The Ministry of Labour and the UAE Government welcome constructive inputs and discussions from international bodies and organisations, with regard to the area of guest worker welfare in the country and have invited public feedback on the draft of the new labour law," the official news agency WAM said.

Research was conducted by the news agency along with Jiwin, a Dubai-based company.

"WAM feels the statement issued by HRW [yesterday] does not accurately reflect either the progress that has been made in addressing the issues at hand or the seriousness with which the government is dealing with these issues," the news agency said.

Committed

The statement outlined recent developments in labour-related issues particularly the steps taken by both federal and local governments over the course of the last five months, such as the closure of labour accommodation complexes that do not meet the standards stipulated by law.

"The UAE government is committed to ongoing and rapid improvement on this issue. The measures to date have amply demonstrated this and future plans will build on the progress that has already been made," the WAM statement said. At a press conference held in Dubai yesterday, the New York-based HRW claimed the UAE's proposed labour law was "falling short" of international standards with regard to workers' rights in the country.

Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at HRW, however praised the transparency exercised by the Ministry of Labour in publishing the proposed law online for public comments and called on the ministry to take her group's recommendations in the final print of the law.

She said the Ministry of Labour's call for comments on the draft law represented "an important step towards reform and transparency in the UAE."

But, she added, the proposed law contravenes international standards because it contains no provisions on workers' rights to form unions and explicitly punishes workers for holding strikes.

"The UAE is capable of setting a model in the region by offering adequate protection for labourers...The UAE is setting examples in many arenas including economic development, and the protection of labourers' rights should be among the targets the UAE is aiming at. We know it is achievable and once it is done here other governments in the region will follow suit," she said.

She also called for the inclusion of domestic workers in the protection of the labour law.

"Since most domestic workers are women, the lack of protection is mainly directed against women."

Commenting on the Minister of Labour's statement in Gulf News regarding setting a minimum wage system, Whitson applauded the move and said HRW would like to see it "enforced soon."

She said companies delaying wages should be punished severely and the fine should be at least triple the amount of the delayed salary to deter unscrupulous employers from violating labourers' rights.