UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan revealed plans to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign workers by gradually replacing them with nationals. At present, foreign workers make up about 80 percent of the UAE’s four million population. The president said that the government plans to implement a progressive nationalization of the labor force, with local, qualified workers slowly taking over from the non-Emirati workers. He also called for a restructuring of the economy so as to trim down the “mass of unqualified foreign workers" that are responsible for the country’s huge demographic imbalance.
Labor Minister Dr. Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi is planning to visit four Asian countries that are the major suppliers of foreign workers in the UAE to sign a memorandum of understanding regulating the entry of foreign manpower into the country. The labor agreements are also intended to prevent the exploitation of the migrant workforce in the UAE. The minister’s itinerary includes a visit to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh by the end of this month. He also plans to travel to China, the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand early next year to explain the UAE’s new labor regulations.
A Humans Rights Watch (HRW) report released on 12 November accused the UAE of failing to do something about the systematic abuses faced by more than 500,000 migrant construction workers at the hands of their employers. However, HRW Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson lauded the Prime Minister’s 7 November decree directing the Labor Ministry to institute reforms based on the report’s recommendations Two weeks after the HRW report came out authorities closed down more than 100 labor camps housing migrant workers in Dubai as part of an ongoing crackdown on errant employers.
Some 500 Asian laborers of a company at Al Sajja in Sharjah went on strike on 25 November to protest unpaid salaries for the past few months and their poor living conditions. They returned to work the following day after being assured by the police that their problems would be resolved right away. The company management has agreed to meet with the workers to discuss their complaints. However, according to the managing director, provides its employees five-star accommodations and pays their salaries on time. He said the real issue why the workers went on strike was to protest against their labor cards being kept by the company.
In another incident, some 87 Indian irregular migrant workers of a Jumeirah-based firm stormed the offices of a recruitment company in Rolla on 25 November accusing it of exploiting their irregular status in the country. They demanded payment of their salaries for October totaling Dh50,000. An official from the recruitment company dismissed the workers’ allegations and promised to settle the issue amicably. Meanwhile, the Sharjah police are preparing a report based on its investigations. The case is expected to be referred to the Department of Naturalization and Residency.
Workers lodged complaint
A group of about 40 migrant workers filed a complaint against their employers with the Ministry of Labor on 26 November concerning delayed wages and expired labor cards. An Indian worker claimed that he has not been paid for the last three months while about 17 other laborers have no valid working visa. The ministry assured the complainants that it would investigate the matter and seek a speedy solution to their problems. The company admitted the delays in the payment of wages but promised to pay its workers by 30 November.
The Philippine Consulate General in Dubai has initiated a manhunt for an illegal recruiter who has victimized at least four Filipino nationals. Officials are seeking the cooperation of the Filipino community in providing information on the whereabouts of Magenda Lucio, a Filipino long-term resident of Dubai. According to the four Filipinos who sought the consulate’s help, Lucio collected Php100,000 in recruitment fees from each of them. Last year, six other Filipinos filed a similar complaint against Lucio but she settled the case amicably with the complainants.
Sources: IRIN, “HRW wants UAE to act for exploited construction workers," Middle East Online, 16 November 2006; Taieb Mahjoub, AFP, “Booming UAE aims to cut back on foreign workers," Middle East Times, 20 November 2006; AFP, “UAE aims to lessen reliance on Asian workers," ABS-CBN News, 21 November 2006; AFP, “UAE planning to cut back on foreign workers," Taiwan News, 21 November 2006; “UAE aims to cut back on foreign workers," Trade Arabia, 21 November 2006; “UAE plans to cut back on foreign workforce," Gulf Times, 21 November 2006; Wam, “Kaabi plans Asian tour to regulate entry of workers," Khaleej Times, 22 November 2006; Criselda Diala, “Information sought on Filipina recruiter," Khaleej Times, 23 November 2006; Sunita Menon, “Middlemen ‘will no longer be able to exploit workers’," Gulf News, 23 November 2006; PTI, “UAE, India to ink MoU on manpower," The Hindu, 23 November 2006; Afkar Abdullah, “87 workers gather at recruitment agency’s office seeking wages," Khaleej Times, 26 November 2006; Ahmed Abdul Aziz, “40 workers demand wage arrears in capital," Khaleej Times, 27 November 2006; Afkar Abdullah, “Labourers back to work after police intervention," Khaleej Times, 27 November 2006; Porimol Palma, “Accord with UAE soon for expatriates’ welfare," The Daily Star, 27 November 2006; Ahmed Abdul Aziz, “Delayed wages to attract MOL action," Khaleej Times, 30 November 2006; Reuters, “Dubai shuts 100 labour dorms," The Peninsula, 30 November 2006