Finding the right balance with labour laws

Readers discuss labour issues. Other topics: personal income tax and Abu Dhabi's new church

Readers welcome the opening of a new Armenian church in Abu Dhabi. Wam

Regarding your report, UAE domestic staff passports 'must not be kept by sponsors' (May 8), the situation is a difficult one. There must be some kind of guarantee for the sponsor that domestic staff will not run away from the job.

With such a system in place, the sponsor knows that domestic staff will think twice before running away.

Most domestic staff don't care about their legal paperwork in the first place.

This story raises another important point. The large majority of domestic staff are treated well.

It is only negative stories like this one that make it into the newspapers. That is why so many people believe that there is a serious problem in the domestic service sector.

The public must be educated about the reality of the domestic service sector.

Kristina Margit, Abu Dhabi

Domestic workers should be able to hold on to their own passports.

But employers do require stronger laws and protections against people fleeing the country.

If an employee absconds, then they have to face the never ending nightmare of cancellations, absconding reports and the waiting game that can take months by themselves without any assistance.

This process will also cost a lot of money and when all is said and done, the employee will have to pay for their flight ticket home. There is too much pressure on employers under the current system.

Aziza Al Busaidy, Dubai

I have a simple question after reading this story. Would you feel OK about your employer holding on to your passport?

If the idea makes you feel uncomfortable then there has to be some discussion about this practice.

Maria Stenstrand, Dubai

I understand the perspective of the Ministry of Labour. From the point of view of labour rights, there must be a balance between the concerns of the employer and the employee.

The major problem is fleeing employees. If there were better protections for employers that make it more difficult to flee the country, then these workers could hold on to their own passports. It would be a win-win situation for everyone.

Bashir Yusuff, Abu Dhabi

It is a good decision to allow domestic staff to hold on to their passports. There are so many pressures on domestic staff, so I hope that the Ministry of Labour takes these complaints seriously. They must take any violation seriously to make sure the practice stops.

Habib Rahim Hazim, Dubai

This law has been enforced for decades, and has made the UAE labour market one of the best in the Middle East.

Ahmed Aziz, Abu Dhabi

Taxes would hurt the country

I fear that the introduction of personal income tax would hurt the economy. Many businesses would leave the country and the result would be empty offices and empty malls.

Few people would be able to afford income tax on top of the other taxes associated with living here. We must refine the existing taxes to stay economically strong.

Gert Ditlevsen, Dubai

I found your story about personal income tax fascinating (History has lessons for UAE personal income tax, May 7).

While foreign residents of the country are not entitled to any special benefits because they are not citizens, there are some measures that the Government can take to close the distance in the cost of services for locals and expatriates.

For example, the cost of visas for domestic workers like maids could be brought down for expatriates. The cost for a maid's visa is close to Dh10,000 for a foreigner while it is much lower for an Emirati.

I could be wrong about the exact cost but bringing the cost down and closing the gap would help foreign residents and create more jobs.

Githa Ulfe, Dubai

Church shows our respect

I am excited by the opening of the Armenian church in Abu Dhabi (Sheikh Nahyan opens Armenian church in Abu Dhabi, May 7). The new church demonstrates how the UAE respects peace and coexistence.

It is a great message of peace for the region and the world.

Youri Hong, Dubai

This new church shows why many people have come to love and respect the UAE. Because we respect each other and our beliefs.

Edwin Noble, Abu Dhabi