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As you will have seen from the Impactt newsfeed and blog, there has been significant coverage recently on the conditions for migrant construction workers in Dubai and the UAE. What it often not realised however, is that there is also a thriving manufacturing industry in operation here which is well placed to serve global markets.  

Low taxes and political stability have made this an attractive location for an increasing number of manufacturers in the past 10 years. The key products being made include cement, building materials, aluminium, fertilisers, foodstuffs, beverages, garments, furniture, plastics, glass, fibreglass and processed metals. Its central location in the Gulf region makes the UAE an ideal sourcing hub for both European and U.S. based purchasing companies. 

However, to date little attention has been given to conditions for workers in these sectors. In our experience they, like the construction industry, use a high proportion of migrant labour from countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India. Whilst middle men demanding recruitment fees may be less common according to reported findings, the following issues have been identified:

• Retention of passports by employers
• Low pay and long hours
• False records
• Inadequate maintenance of fire equipment and other H&S facilities
• Outsourcing to smaller units where there is low visibility of conditions

Impactt encourages attention being placed on the conditions for construction workers, because it is certain that action is needed in this area. However, non-construction related industries should be aware that their supply chain here may present them with considerable risk because of poor labour standards.   

Author: Jaana Quaintance