UAE workers report over 300 firms for unpaid wages

COMPLAINT LINE: Workers, like housemaids, who have not been paid can make an anonymous complaint to the ministry. (Getty Images)

More than 300 companies in the UAE have been reported to the Ministry of Labour for failing to pay workers’ wages last month.

Six firms have been referred to the public prosecution, a senior official said.

The move is part of a ministry scheme launched on May 1 that allows workers to report anonymously delayed or unpaid salaries, reported Gulf News.

"This new initiative is a break through in the ministry's efforts to protect workers rights and mainly their right for payment of salaries,” said Humaid Bin Deemas, acting director general at the ministry.

“Confidentiality of the complaints has been a main factor in the effectiveness of this project as workers no longer need to fear any repercussion for complaining about their companies."

The initiative, called ‘My Salary’, raised complaints about 331 companies for non-payment of wages for more than three months. According to the ministry 38 of the firms paid the delayed salaries, 26 had their transactions stopped and 66 already had complaints registered at the labour relations department. The rest are still under investigation.

Previously, if a worker wanted to complain they had to file an official complaint with the labour relations department, which would lead to their employer being notified.

"The majority of workers who took such steps were prepared to lose their jobs as a consequence. This meant that many workers did not report non-payment of salaries as they did not want to lose their jobs but with this new initiative the workers do not need to fear such consequences," said Bin Deemas.

Workers whose salaries have been delayed for more than 15 days, or have not received them can file a complaint on the ministry's website at www.mol.gov.ae or through calling the hotline 800665.

The hotline is in 12 different languages including Arabic, English, French, Hindi, Farsi, Russian and Urdu. The website is in Arabic and English only.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Name and Shame
Posted by MM on Thursday 2 July 2009 at 14:59 UAE time


I agree with some of the other respondents here that offending companies and their owners need to be named and shamed in the press and the court of public opinion.

It's not just labourers facing this problem. You would be surprised at some of the big names with big advertising campaigns that have not paid their employees for 2 months and threaten them not to tell the MOL. These same companies are still employing more people without paying existing staff and still trading.

This is serious issue and it's a joke that among my friends now that the only criteria for a good company to work for these days is one that actually pays your full, monthly salary each month. Forget bonuses, commissions, reimbursements - some of us just hope to get what we are legally owed each month.

Congratulations
Posted by Peter Peter, dubai, UAE on Tuesday 23 June 2009 at 11:41 UAE time


We are very thankful to Mr. Deemas for coming on record at this forum. Now we can believe that what we write here does reach the right people.

However it would be better if the MOL would give press releases from time to time announcing these fines and the names of the companies who received them for ill treating workers.

Sir, you talk of a moral deterrent. Naming and shaming them would be the first step. And a social and economic boycott of such companies by concerned citizens will bring these companies in line.

We thank you once again and support you in our endeavors.

Finally we are still curious to know why it needs 5 years to bring workers' accommodation up to acceptable levels when the world's tallest tower can be built in less than half the time.

MoL Feedback
Posted by Ministry of Labour- Bin Deemas, Abu Dhabi, UAE on Monday 22 June 2009 at 21:49 UAE time

Dear all,

I want to thank you for your valued comments, and I guarantee you that we will take them all in our consideration.

I just want to mention that we already referred some complaints to the court, when the employer failed to deliver his commitment even after paying penalty fees reached in some cases to AED 10000 for each worker. And that is strong evidence that sanctions can not be effective unless there is moral deterrent.

We in the Ministry of Labour will continue our efforts to promote the principle of workers' rights protection, but, we need to keep in our mind that keeping these rights maintained is everyone responsibility including the workers themselves.

Thank you all and best regards

Humied Bin Deemas

Wages!!
Posted by Punky Brewster, Dubai on Monday 22 June 2009 at 13:57 UAE time


Why not Shame the companies, that HAVE been prosecuted!! This way, OTHERS can avoid dealing with them, and this way, the REST will be careful not to tread that path of ignorance. I don't know why the authorities are hiding behind the Ethics Law in regards to this issue, 'cos it is, after all, inhumane, to not pay for the services. I think the Name & Shame will effectively put a stop to these practices.

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