- Title: UAE: Dubai labourers strike demanding better working conditions and salaries
- Date: 1st November 2007
- Summary: (BN12) DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (OCTOBER 31, 2007) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LABOURERS CAMP LABOURERS IN CAMP LABOURER MORE OF LABOURERS IN CAMP (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED EGYPTIAN LABOURER, SAYING: "What happened was that they stopped working in an illegal manner, they went onto a main road and created problems. They turned over police cars and the police showed up and created problems with them. They are asking for higher wages, but they demand it in an illegal way. They stopped working all of a sudden, they stopped cars. The police showed up to stop them for closing down the road, and they assaulted the police. The police circled and besieged the camp, and picked up four thousand workers and prosecuted them." LABOURER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED EGYPTIAN WORKER, SAYING: "They, the workers some stayed to work and some will be deported, the ones that create problems will return to their countries. The ones that are working and haven't caused any problems will be released from jail and return to work." LABOURERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED PAKISTANI LABOURER, SAYING: "The problem was the salary, because our salary not very much. Not much then one ... hundred. So, this is a big problem. What I can say? Nobody can know what happens..."
- Embargoed: 16th November 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations,Employment
- Reuters ID: LVA316X18242TW23LGQ3MMTXAGUZ
- Story Text: Labourers working on major building projects in Dubai strike for better wages despite the likelihood of deportation.
Following a rare violent protest staged by labourers on Saturday (October 27) and Sunday (October 28) in Dubai, authorities have yet to announce what they plan for the detainees.
Local official sources claim that 25 will be deported but an Indian media source asserts that up to 159 will be forced back to their countries of origin. Hundreds have already been released from jails.
Construction workers, who often live in cramped labour camps, regularly go on strike or protest peacefully against employers they accuse of failing to pay promised wages. The most recent events were substantially more intense.
Vandalism, assault and violence were reported by local media sources and witnesses.
"What happened was that they stopped working in an illegal manner, they went onto a main road and created problems. They turned over police cars and the police showed up and created problems with them. They are asking for higher wages, but they demand it in an illegal way. They stopped working all of a sudden, they stopped cars. The police showed up to stop them for closing down the road, and they assaulted the police. The police circled and besieged the camp, and picked up four thousand workers and prosecuted them," said an Egyptian labourer who declined to be named.
According to a witness some still remain in custody awaiting their fate.
Khalfan Tamim, Chief of Dubai Police told the Khaleej Times local paper that the detainees will face legal action, adding that firm evidence against them is in the hands of authorities.
"They, the workers some stayed to work and some will be deported, the ones that create problems will return to their countries. The ones that are working and haven't caused any problems will be released from jail and return to work," said another Egyptian labourer who declined to be named.
The protesters were demanding higher wages and better living conditions.
"The problem was the salary, because our salary not very much. Not much then one ... hundred. So, this is a big problem. What I can say? Nobody can know what happens...," said a Pakistani labourer who also declined to be named.
Labourers are paid an average of 550 to 600 Emirati dirham (AED) per month (150 to 160 U.S. dollars).
On Monday (October 29) the cabinet ordered the creation of a panel to draft a bill that would "regulate the relationship between domestic helpers and their sponsors as part of the council's serious efforts to upgrade legislation's dealing with the workforce", the official WAM news agency reported.
An army of construction workers mainly from the Indian subcontinent is crucial for a construction boom in the UAE, which is using windfall petrodollars to build several ambitious projects including the world highest tower, biggest theme park and several man-made islands.
The government has revised the labour law in recent months to include requirements that employers pay for migrant workers' travel, employment permits, medical tests and health care. But the UAE lacked a separate law to regulate domestic workers.
The cabinet said the panel that includes the ministers of interior and labour will redefine the rights and duties of both domestic workers and their employers.
In March New York-based watchdog Human Rights Watch said a UAE draft labour law falls far short of international standards for the rights of workers key to the Gulf Arab state's construction boom. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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