Abu Dhabi has invested approximately AED20bn ($5.4bn) in 23 workers “cities” for around 385,000 workers, which will be built in accordance with a new manual setting out higher standards of living.
The manual, which has been approved by the UAE government, stipulates that all accommodation must include a medical clinic, parking, yards, walkways, a mini-market, green spaces and playgrounds
The UAE has approved the Manual of the General Criteria for Workers’ Accommodation, which is “part of its commitment to improve the standards of workers’ accommodation in line with international standards.”
Under the new rules, “each facility operating in the country has to upgrade its workers’ accommodation conditions to comply with these standards,” the WAM news agency has reported.
As part of the announcement, it was reported Abu Dhabi has invested about AED20bn in 23 workers “cities” which are capable of providing accommodation for 385,000 workers.
These complexes have been built in line with the new manual, which stipulates that all accommodation must include its own medical clinic equipped with full services, parking, yards, walkways, mini-market, green spaces and playgrounds.
Other innovations included in the manual include introducing greater flexibility and freedom of movement in the labour market, and establishing a balanced contractual relationship between employer and worker.
At the same time, access to effective legal remedies in the event of a labour dispute has been vastly improved, WAM reported. In particular, the Ministry of Labour (MoL) has set up a collective labour disputes committee, with representatives of workers and employers in each labour office.
The committees must issue a decision on a dispute within two weeks of referral. Their decisions can be challenged before an appeal court within 30 days of issuance.
The implementation of the new manual and improved regulations and standards is part of discussion between the UAE Labour Minister, Saqr Ghobash, and Brent Wilton, Deputy Secretary-General, International Organisation of Employers, and William Lacy Swing, Director-General of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
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