FNC debates labour market for five hours

Council members also discuss benefits and rights enjoyed by expatriate workers and seek a review of labour legislation.

Minister of Labour Saqr Ghobash, second left, says a bill to replace the current legislation is under consideration. Wam

ABU DHABI // Federal National Council members called for greater support for Emiratis in the labour market, but the Minister of Labour said he could do nothing about it.

Over the course of a five-hour-long debate, the members continually brought up the need to empower Emiratis in the private sector and subsidise their salaries.

The minister, Saqr Ghobash, said this was an issue for Tanmeya and not his ministry.

During the debate, some members also called for greater support for expatriate workers, while others wanted to revoke some of their existing rights.

The members also made a fresh call to review the current labour law, which they said was outdated and did not benefit Emiratis or expatriates.

Mr Ghobash repeatedly said in response that a bill to replace the law was currently making its way through the legislative process.

A proposal to give expatriate workers pensions through a set fund was made by Ali Al Nuaimi (Ajman), who said such a decision could be economically beneficial to the country.

He asked Mr Ghobash if the ministry had carried out any studies in this area.

The minister said that in legal and constitutional terms, such a benefit was not possible, even if it did carry advantages for the country. He said a number of things would need to be studied, including how the money would be invested, and in case of losses, who would take responsibility.

In addition, he said, the ministry had enough on its plate.

Meanwhile, Dr Rashid Al Shariqi (Sharjah) said that allowing expatriates who were sponsored by a family member – such as a father or a husband – to seek jobs was wasting opportunities for nationals in the job market.

“Sponsored persons who are educated and qualified compete with nationals in seeking job opportunities, so does the ministry have a plan to face this trend?”

The minister said this decision had been in place for more than 10 years and was upgraded in 2011 by a Cabinet decision to make it more organised.

While discussing the current labour law, Ahmad Al Zaabi (Sharjah) said some articles appeared to be “from the Stone Age”.

He cited articles 149, 150 and 151, which say if an employee was injured or killed during work, his beneficiaries received compensation equivalent to his salary for 24 months, as long as it was no less than D18,000 and no more than Dh35,000.

He then compared it to blood money amounts that were amended by Sheikh Zayed in 1991 to Dh200,000 in the case of death.

“So if a person dies on the street due to a crash his heirs receive Dh200,000, whereas a person who died on duty – the maximum is Dh35,000?” said Mr Al Zaabi. “Where is the balance?”

The minister said the new law phrased it as “if the work injury leads to death, the family members deserve an amount equal to blood money”.

“We did not specify a number, we linked it to blood money,” he said.