As you will have seen from our blogs of the past few weeks, the attention in the UAE on labour standards for migrant construction workers has been immense.

There was a depth of discussion and debate about labour standards over the three days, but the issues that came up repeatedly included:

• What does CSR mean in the UAE and what are the responsibilities of business and government?
• Conditions in accommodation and welfare camps and how to maintain reasonable standards
• Health and safety for construction workers on site
• Training and skills development, especially in times of economic crisis
• Repatriation of workers who have lost their jobs

While discussion is good and necessary, it was great to see the Ministry of Labour announce  two initiatives that will directly impact the lives of workers – the development of a central electronic payment system and internationally recognised minimum standards for worker accommodation across Dubai.

In terms of private sector initiatives, the presentations (x 3!) from Build Safe UAE stood out as a shining light of practical collaboration to address health and safety issues. While the presentations at the GCC summit from the Labour Solidarity Center and the Builder and Wood Workers International union, ensured that the call for free unions and worker representation was also made.

The General Consul of India in Dubai made an important contribution to the debate at the GCC conference by talking about his office’s efforts to prepare workers pre-departure from their home country, monitor and support them whilst they are here and ensure they are returned safely. His presentation can be found here.

The dialogue underway at this week’s conferences reflects the changing tone of the Ministry of Labour here and the recognition by businesses that something has to be done. In Impactt’s perspective, there were two overriding themes, both of which have proved critical in addressing poor labour conditions in other countries:

• The importance of partnership – between business and the governments of both host and sending countries.
• The need for ongoing transparency and openness – admitting the problems and discussing the solutions in an open forum is a new thing in the UAE and we need to see more of it!

Impactt applauds all actors in the UAE for taking the first steps on the road to improved labour standards. We also encourage them to look at the work being done in the US and the UK, who face similar issues, and learn from their experiences – and mistakes!

Author: Jaana Quaintance

A spokesperson from the Ministry reported on Friday that they are conducting an education programme for migrant workers. This is said to involve both educational seminars in labour camps and the development of a workbook setting out the obligations of employers, what the employee should expect and what action they should do if they are not met.

In addition, the Ministry reported that they are to extend their Indian information campaign about phony recruitment agencies that take advantage of workers in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, where awareness of abuses is low.

Impactt welcomes such initiatives by the Ministry, as they recognise the need to address the gap in information available and accessible to workers. By providing workers with the tools to understand their legal rights in their own language, violations are less likely to occur and where they do, the government is more likely to be aware of them.

By educating people in their home country, before they arrive in the UAE, and monitoring the recruitment process from the outset, the Ministry are tackling some of the problems at source. Overall, this announcement demonstrates that the Ministry has recognised that inspections cannot be the whole answer and is taking a realistic and hands-on approach to improving the lives of Dubai’s thousands of migrant workers.

To strengthen this approach still further, Impactt recommends two further initiatives.  First that the Ministry consult workers to ensure that policies and programmes meet workers needs. Second that the ministry provide a free, independent and widely publicised whistle-blowing helpline in workers’ own languages so workers can report abuses without fear of reprisal, and the government can act quickly to improve the situation.

After last year’s Primark on the Rack, BBC Panorama has been investigating labour standards again. This time the BBC exposé focuses on the conditions of migrant workers building luxury estates in Dubai. Dubai is a by-word for 1^st world seven-star living, with developments endorsed by footballer Michael Owen, cricketer Andrew Flintoff and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. But behind the façade migrant workers face 3^rd world wages and conditions.

Eighty percent of Dubai’s population are migrants, mainly from the Asian sub-continent, lured to Dubai by employment agents selling the dream of making good money of 1500 dirham (£277.54) a month. But, on arrival, the dream rapidly becomes a nightmare. Wages are less than half the promised level, Panorama exposed workers being paid £120 per month, working 12 hour shifts, six days a week. At these rates workers could only afford to eat meat two or three times a month. And it gets worse, Panorama also found workers working unpaid to repay the £2000 ‘transit fees’ they owe to the employment agency for getting them the ‘dream job’ in the first place.

In labour camps belonging to Arabtec Construction, a sub-contractor to the Jumeriah Golf Estates, Panorama found workers accommodation overflowing with sewage and persuaded a recruitment agent to tell her story

And things are getting worse, the global financial downturn has led to thousands of workers losing their jobs and being sent back to their home countries prematurely. Not only do they often still owe the employment agents their ‘transit fee’, but their home economies are suffering from the reduction in remittances being sent back on a monthly basis.

Impactt’s own experience in Dubai underlines that migrant workers’ jobs are very poor quality.  Far from being better off than they would be at home, the balance has tipped and a migrant job is often the gateway to poverty and despair.   

Clearly something must be done, and we believe that it is possible to make change. There are cost-effective ways for companies using migrant labour to have an impact on basic conditions for workers, particularly in accommodation standards, payment of transit fees and working hours. All that is needed is the determination to change the current business model.

As a first step, it is vital to establish an industry-wide dialogue to harness the power of the construction giants, the contractors and the UAE government to create a new framework for managing migrant labour in Dubai. This should recognise the mutual dependency that exists between the industry and the workers, and be a vehicle for tackling the issues highlighted by the Panorama programme.

The Impactt Middle East and North Africa office opens in Dubai next week and will be constantly surrounded by migrant workers – in fact we overlook two buildings which are under construction. You can expect regular updates on the conditions these workers face and our efforts to improve them.