Poll shows 65% support minimum wage for labourers

MINIMUM WAGE: Two thirds of responders think Gulf's construction workers are under paid and want governments to introduce a minimum wage. (Getty Images)

Two thirds of those responding to an online poll believe construction labourers in the Gulf are badly treated and want governments to bring in a minimum wage.

The survey by Arabian Business found that a resounding 65 percent of more than 500 responders felt very strongly about the bad treatment of construction staff, in the wake of a BBC documentary that went inside Dubai’s labour camps to reveal poor living conditions.

They voted in support of introducing minimum wages for construction staff in a bid to boost their quality of living.

Just four percent of responders to the survey thought the workers, from the poorer parts of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China and Vietnam, were well treated and fairly paid.

Another, 10 percent thought workers were well treated once they arrived in the Gulf, but believed problems persisted with recruitment agents in the workers’ home countries, who charged fees to arrange jobs in the region - leaving the workers in debt when they arrive.

This group thought the workers’ home governments should do more to stop this practice.

Meanwhile, 21 percent believed the onus was on employers to improve living conditions for their staff, who they believed were currently poorly treated.

Arabian Business was invited to visit a number of Dubai-based Arabtec’s camps in the wake of the UK TV documentary, which created a wave of debate in Dubai over the image of the emirate in the international press.

A diary of our visit to the camps can be seen here .

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