UAE 'keen to abide by all ILO conventions'

The UAE has to honour the standards set by the International Labour Organisation as it has signed its conventions, the labour minister said yesterday.

"Ratification of international labour conventions obligates the country to observe them in national legislation and in practice. This puts a huge responsibility on labour officials to monitor the UAE's obligations in labour standards," Dr Ali Abdullah Al Ka'abi said in a keynote speech at a seminar in Dubai.

The minister told the seminar, entitled the Role of the Labour Department in Enforcing Arab and International Labour Standards and Fundamental Rights, that the UAE had ratified nine International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, including six of its 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

"It has also ratified two Arab Labour Organisations's conventions on juveniles and labour inspection," the minister said in his speech, read out on his behalf by Dr Khalid Al Khazraji, the ministry's undersecretary.

"The UAE is keen to apply the international labour law. We are trying to follow this international law in regard to human rights, child labour and labour investigation," said Dr Al Khazraji.

Eisa Mohammad Saleh, head of the Legal Affairs Department at the ministry of labour, spoke about a future amendment to be made to the labour law to meet the international standards. He said the ministry of labour in the UAE always tried to match international labour law agreements.

"In 1982 the ministry approved international requirements regarding work hours. In the same year the ministry applied the labour inspection. The ministry also follows international rules in limiting working hours for women and when women can work at night."

He added in 2001 the ministry applied international standards regarding avoiding discrimination at work. "In 2004 the ministry met the international standards in monitoring children who work. In the same year the ministry applied international standards of labour inspections," he said.

Dr Yousif Illias, member of the legal experts committee of the Arab League, spoke about the effect of the international and Arab labour standards on national legislation. He said those who agreed on ILO regulations should submit regular reports about their country's labour law.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Arab Centre for Labour Management and Employment in Tunisia organised the three-day seminar. It was opened by Dr Al Khazraji.

The UAE has ratified nine ILO conventions including:

The UAE has approved recommendations submitted to the ILO's 91st session in Geneva in 2003. These included standards-related activities in the area of occupational safety and health and learning and training for workers in the knowledge society. Also passed was a proposal of new standards for the prevention of biological hazards in the workplace.