Worker protection
The UAE Ministry of Labour has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sri Lanka in a bid to protect expat workers’ rights. The move is the latest in a series of agreements with Asian countries to streamline the export of manpower to the UAE and to protect the rights of migrant workers.
UAE Labour Minister Ali bin Abdulla Al Kaabi travelled to Colombo on Thursday to sign the bilateral agreement and the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UAE told 7DAYS that he was hoping a lot of positive responses would surface as a result of the agreement.“This is a very positive step. The labour ministry is truly thinking in favour of the migrant workers,” said Mohammad Nabavi Junaid, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UAE.Junaid said the most important issue faced by workers was the agencies who often cheated them.“The key issue is that of middle men who make money by cheating workers. This MoU will ensure transparency and hopefully eliminate these unscrupulous agents,” he said. The ambassador also claimed that issues such as making the contracts in the language of the workers, specifying their salaries and fixing a minimum salary would be addressed in the agreement.The Sri Lankan government says there are currently around 200,000 migrant workers from their country in the UAE, with a high percentage working as maids or doing odd jobs. Al Kaabi’s visit to Sri Lanka follows similar visits to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, all of whom send large numbers of workers to the UAE.The ministry said the MoUs will also help provide workers with proper accommodation, and healthcare. Source
UAE Labour Minister Ali bin Abdulla Al Kaabi travelled to Colombo on Thursday to sign the bilateral agreement and the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UAE told 7DAYS that he was hoping a lot of positive responses would surface as a result of the agreement.“This is a very positive step. The labour ministry is truly thinking in favour of the migrant workers,” said Mohammad Nabavi Junaid, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UAE.Junaid said the most important issue faced by workers was the agencies who often cheated them.“The key issue is that of middle men who make money by cheating workers. This MoU will ensure transparency and hopefully eliminate these unscrupulous agents,” he said. The ambassador also claimed that issues such as making the contracts in the language of the workers, specifying their salaries and fixing a minimum salary would be addressed in the agreement.The Sri Lankan government says there are currently around 200,000 migrant workers from their country in the UAE, with a high percentage working as maids or doing odd jobs. Al Kaabi’s visit to Sri Lanka follows similar visits to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, all of whom send large numbers of workers to the UAE.The ministry said the MoUs will also help provide workers with proper accommodation, and healthcare. Source
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