The Ministry of Labour defended UAE employment policies yesterday after a report released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticised the country’s proposed labour law.
The 15-page report posted on the HRW website claims that the Emirates’ proposed labour law requires revision with regard to workers’ rights in the country.
But an official UAE source stated that the HRW report does not accurately reflect the reality of conditions on the ground and ignores the progress that has been made in addressing the issues, according to a Gulf News report today.
“The Ministry of Labour and the UAE Government welcome constructive inputs and discussions from international bodies and organisations, with regard to the area of guest worker welfare in the country and have invited public feedback on the draft of the new labour law,” the official news agency WAM said.
The Ministry of Labour’s move to publish the draft labour law online and to solicit public opinion from local, regional and international bodies shows the ministry’s belief in transparency and the importance of taking all views into consideration, according to Dr. Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi, Minister of Labour.
“Placing the draft law on the internet turned out to be an opinion poll, in which everyone has taken part. The Ministry will not back down on its transparent approach to the opinions reflected, whether we agree with them or not,” the Minister said.
“The Labour Ministry’s request for comments on the draft law represents an important step toward reform and transparency in the UAE,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW’s Middle East director.
“We hope that the Labor Ministry takes advantage of this process to revise the serious flaws in its draft law.”
The HRW report condemns the lack of provisions on workers’ rights to organise trade unions and to bargain collectively in the face of the Emirates’ current construction boom.
“The UAE is capable of setting a model in the region by offering adequate protection for labourers… The UAE is setting examples in many arenas including economic development, and the protection of labourers’ rights should be among the targets the UAE is aiming at. We know it is achievable and once it is done here other governments in the region will follow suit,” Gulf News quoted Whitson as saying.
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