20% of firms in violation of labour laws

LABOUR CRACKDOWN: Almost 20% of Kuwaiti private sector companies are in violation of labour laws. (Getty Images)

Almost 20% of all Kuwaiti private sector companies are in violation of labour laws for offences such as failing to pay workers and being physically abusive to staff, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour has revealed in a report.

A recent inspection of 3,775 companies by the government department revealed 668 workplace violations, including poor working conditions, unpaid salaries, fake work permits, theft and physical abuse, the Kuwait Times daily reported on Monday.

The report said the number of violations represented 17.7% of all private sector businesses.

The inspections found nearly 84% of firms (3,170) had failed to provide the proper protections to prevent work place accidents, and 32 companies did not provide basic work place protection gear including safety helmets.

More than 155 employers did not provide suitable accommodation for their staff and 177 labourers were working as beggars and car washers in violation of their work permits. Another 28 companies were not punctual in paying salaries to their employees.

According to the report, the Ministry of Labour started legal action against 278 firms for labour violations with the operations of one firm permanently stopped.

Expat workers, mainly from the Asian subcontinent, are estimated to account for 84.5% of the total labour force in Kuwait.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour said it was considering establishing a labour authority to measure the professional ability of labourers.

The authority would assess the labourer's technical abilities and if he fails to prove competency, the employer of the labourer will be obliged to repatriate the labourer back to their home country.

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