Bahrain business leaders, unions sign anti-strike deal

Business leaders and union officials in Bahrain have signed an anti-strike deal to protect the country's economy, it was reported on Monday.

They inked an agreement on Sunday designed to enable employers and workers to talk out differences, without either side resorting to "extreme action", Gulf Daily News reported.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU).

The deal lays down guidelines for negotiations between management and union leaders on everything from wages to training, the paper added.

The aim was to make employers and unions partners in developing the national economy, said BCCI chairman Dr Essam Fakhro.

"These guidelines will ensure that things are being done to proper standards, without any party harming the interest of the other, which in the end would harm the workplace, something that no one wants to see," he told the paper.

"We are very pleased with this MoU because it will ensure that our work doesn't face any setbacks and that everyone is working for development," he added.

"These procedures would help us solve pending issues and strive for a brighter future, in which we are real partners and contributors to the nation's economy."

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