The Ministry of Labour is carrying out a nationwide three-pronged programme to improve the living and working conditions of labourers, officials said today. The campaign will target unscrupulous recruitment agencies based abroad that the ministry says are responsible for the exploitation of some labourers. The ministry also plans to raise awareness within the labourer population by publishing a guide book in eight languages. It will also continue to hold seminars with companies highlighting good health and safety practices.
"The launch of the guide book is imminent and it is meant to raise awareness within the labour population in the country about their rights and what they can do to preserve that," a high-ranking official said on the sidelines of a meeting between the ministry and business leaders in Sharjah today. The comments come after a British documentary claimed some labourers were living in "inhumane conditions". The Minister of Labour, Saqr Ghobash Saeed Ghobash, yesterday said the ministry was investigating the "veracity" of the issues raised by the BBC Panorama documentary "Slumdogs and Millionaires".
So far this year the ministry has held 38 seminars around the country with businesses talking about health and safety standards and procedures and it says it is taking the issue seriously. "The ministry has also held 18 awareness raising campaigns within labour camps and so far it has been a success," said the official. According to UAE law it is illegal to hire anyone without secondary school qualifications. When asked about labourers being illiterate and could not read the health and safety guide, the official said: "If the workers cannot read their own language then they should not be here and questions over the recruitment should be raised."
shafez@thenational.ae
