Assistant undersecretary at the Ministry of Labor, Humaid Bin Deemas, warned that companies that do not pay their workers’ salaries for more than two months would not be allowed to apply for group worker visas for one year. The move is part of strict measures the ministry is taking against errant companies that delay the payment of workers’ salaries, provide them inadequate accommodations or medical facilities.
At the same time, the labor ministry warned companies that they would face penalties, including suspension of their firm’s code for six months, if they are found guilty of forcing their employees to work under harsh weather conditions, such as in dust storms or under the hot sun. The ministry would allegedly inspect work sites to ensure that companies comply with regulations regarding occupational health and workers’ safety.
The Ministry of Labor said that it would add an article in the labor law stipulating that persons found employing irregular migrant workers would face imprisonment. According to Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, stricter measures would be imposed to ensure the rule of law. Violators of the labor law not only endanger the country’s security but threaten the stability of UAE’s economy and labor market as well, Shaikh Mohammad said.
200 workers file complaint against company over unpaid wages
Saif Ebrahim Al Mathloum, deputy director of the Ministry of Labor in Sharjah, has ordered an investigation into the allegations of some 200 workers of the Marhaba Marine Engineering that they have not been paid their wages for four months. The workers also complained to the ministry that the company has been deducting Dh200 monthly from their salaries for rent and collected Dh4,500 in visa fees from each of them to renew their contracts. However, the company manager denied the workers’ charges, saying that only two months’ wages are due and no visa fees or rent charges are being deducted from their pay.
Some 39 of the 44 Indians who arrived in Dubai on 23 April were deported by UAE immigration authorities the next day for allegedly using “fake" visas. Sources said the unfortunate incident occurred because the sponsors failed to submit the original visas at the airport on time. Five Indian workers managed to contact their sponsors and completed the immigration procedures. The rest were unable to follow suit because they did not know which company was supposed to have hired them, explained Anand Pandey, country manager of the Indian Airlines. However, upon arrival in New Delhi, the deported workers claimed that they what they had were the original visas. Meanwhile, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi has ordered a probe into the alleged immigration “fraud."
According to Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, there are no plans to change the current recruitment system for laborers from India. Ravi said that his ministry has already taken steps to regulate the activities of recruiting agencies, including imposing harsher penalties and jail terms for errant agents. Hence, he sees no need to introduce a single-window recruitment system for Indian laborers in lieu of the current one that uses the services of recruitment agencies.
The Ministry of Labor announced that it is set to introduce a new Unified Contract (UC) for Filipinos working in the country’s private sector following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Philippines. The unified contract, which specifies the terms and conditions of employment, is intended to protect the rights of Filipino workers. A joint committee, made up of representatives from both countries, is expected to draft the UC in a manner that is mutually acceptable.
Some 65 Filipina domestic workers staying at the temporary shelter of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (POLO-OWWA) are scheduled to be sent back home as part of the Philippines’ mass repatriation program. The Labor Department in Manila disclosed that some 74 workers in Abu Dhabi, 27 in Qatar, 85 in Kuwait, 108 in Saudi Arabia and a few others in Lebanon would also be repatriated under this program. Most of these overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have sought refuge at POLO-OWWA shelters have either run away from their sponsors or been victimized by illegal recruiters.
A medical panel, made up of three psychiatrists, is expected to submit its report to the Dubai Court of First Instance on 25 April on the mental state of a 32-year old Filipina domestic worker who is on trial for beating her newborn baby to death. Her lawyer, Nabih Badr, claimed that his client was suffering from postpartum depression, which allegedly pushed her to kill her baby. Badr also told the court that the domestic worker got pregnant after being raped by a Sudanese watchman in Lebanon, where she worked before coming to Dubai.
In another case, a 40-year old Filipina domestic worker who earlier told police that she had been raped by her Indian sponsor has since retracted her statement and dropped the criminal case she filed against him. The sponsor’s lawyer handed the Dubai Court of First Instance a written confession from the domestic worker admitting that she had consensual sex with the accused. The confession letter, which the claimant said she made of her own free will and without pressure from anyone, allegedly carried the stamp of the Philippine Consulate.
4 Filipino women held in Dubai airport
Four Filipino women returning to the country from Kish Island were stopped by immigration authorities at the Dubai airport upon noticing that their visit visas had been renewed at least four times. According to information issued by the Dubai Department of Tourism, Commerce and Marketing, visit visas for Dubai are valid for 60 days and may be renewed for a stay of up to 90 days. The women were eventually released with the assistance of the Philippine Consulate after immigration officials ruled that their visas were valid despite having been renewed several times. The incident has led to speculations among Filipinos in Dubai that UAE authorities are restricting the entry of visit visa holders to only four times. Although the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department has denied this rumor, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement clarifying that foreigners on visit visas would only be allowed two successive visa runs (for a total duration of nine months) after which they must leave the country for a full month before returning to the UAE, if they wish to do so.
Chinese church minister, Pastor Joseph Sze, said he wants to settle in Dubai to administer to the spiritual needs of a growing number of Christian laborers from China who are currently working in the manufacturing and construction industries in the city. Sze has asked the US-based Christian organization, Go International, to allow him to be stationed permanently in Dubai. He plans to hold services not only in Mandarin but in other Chinese languages as well, including Cantonese, for expatriates from China, Malaysia and Singapore. At present, there are about 1,000 Chinese Christians in Dubai.
Sources: Ahmed Abdul Aziz, “Unified contract for Filipino workers soon," Khaleej Times, 16 April 2007; Wafa Issa, “No group worker visas for firms defaulting on salaries," Gulf News, 17 April 2007; Wafa Issa, “Workers file complaint over unpaid wages," Gulf News, 17 April 2007; Bassam Za’za, “Medical panel to assess housemaid’s mental state," Gulf News, 17 April 2007; Riyasbabu, “No plans for single-window recruitment: Indian minister," Khaleej Times, 18 April 2007; Wafa Issa, “People employing illegal workers to be imprisoned," Gulf News, 19 April 2007; Daniel Bardsley, “Pastor provides hope and succour for Chinese expats," Gulf News, 21 April 2007; Bassam Za’za, “Maid admits to having sex with her sponsor," Gulf News, 22 April 2007; Ahmed Abdul Aziz, “Don’t force labourers to work in harsh weather’," Khaleej Times, 23 April 2007; Criselda Diala, “Visit visa limit worries Filipinos," Khaleej Times, 22 April 2007; Nina Muslim, “Repeated visit visa renewals leave four Filipinas stranded," Gulf News, 22 April 2007; Nada Mussallam, “employers to provide health insurance to married women," Khaleej Times, 24 April 2007; K.T. Abdurabib and IANS, “Dubai deports 39 Indians; Ravi assures investigation," Arab News, 25 April 2007; “39 Indians with fake visas deported," Khaleej Times, 25 April 2007; Bassma Al Jandaly, “Visit visa runs only twice in a row," Gulf News, 30 April 2007; Criselda Diala, “65 shelterless Filipinas to be repatriated soon," Khaleej Times, 30 April 2007