Job Discussion Forums

[Geronimo]

A delegation from the International Trade Union Confederation
paid a 4 day visit to Qatar earlier this month.

The "Guardian" reported on this delegation's visit as follows...

'But after a four-day visit to the country by an ITUC delegation, the organisation's general secretary, Sharan Burrow, said they had found "no improvement in living and working conditions" of migrant workers.

"This is an easy choice for the Qatari government. The perplexing question is, why won't they take it? Professional and poor workers alike tell the same stories; they came to Qatar with optimism and goodwill, only to face despair when their employer decides they are disposable and refuses to pay wages, sacks them without benefits, and/or refuses to sign their exit permit."

Burrow said that during the visit the 11-member delegation held worker hearings and were shocked by "tales of terror", stories increasing numbers of women and children in detention centres, and rising discontent and unrest in workers in "squalid labour camps".

"What we've seen this week can be summarised as how not to design a system for the global workforce on any basis: human and labour rights; goodwill and international reputation or; productivity based on loyalty and efficiency," said Burrow. "International companies should be on notice about the reputational risk of doing business in Qatar without respect for workers' rights."

And even the FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, appears to be taking a tougher stance nowadays...

"Football's governing body, Fifa, has said: "Fair working conditions with a lasting effect must be introduced quickly in Qatar", and president Sepp Blatter admitted that widespread abuse of migrant workers was "unacceptable" following a meeting with international union leaders in Zurich.

The Qatari authorities have insisted they are being proactive and say the World Cup can be a catalyst for change.

Burrow said: "Fifa have called for the improvement of core international labour organisation standards and an end to the kafala system. They will report back in March 2014. We can only hope the Qatar government will make the right choice."
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/01/qatar-migrant-workers-trade-union

The European Parliament has discussed the issue and Amnesty International is now appealing to Qatari authorities to
addrss the plight of workers going hungry after their employer,
Lee Trading and Contracting (LTC) company, has failed to pay them...
http://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/unpaid-workers-qatar-running-low-food-003319139.html

Who will be along next? Joanna Lumley, perhaps?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/21/gurkha-veteran-ends-hunger-strike-inquiry-announced

Geronimo

[damn_my_eyes]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/24/qatar-2022-world-cup-185-nepalese-workers-died-2013

Can you imagine the outrage if 185 westerners died in Qatar?

[Geronimo]

Another footballer has at last managed to win his case for payment and an exit visa!

"Feb 12 (Reuters) - Former Morocco defender Abdeslam Ouaddou has won his case against a Qatari club after they failed to pay him for six months and then withheld his exit visa, the player said on Wednesday."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-former-morocco-player-wins-case-against-qatari-182401323--finance.html;_ylt=A0LEV2A9mwNT5WUA8JVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzcDRmcDR2BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1ZJUDM3NF8x

However, obviously there is still a long hard road to be travelled for expat professional footballers in Qatar...

"The trouble experienced by Abdeslam Ouaddou is not an isolated incident in Qatar," the union added in a statement.

"FIFPro is well aware of other players who find themselves, or have been in, the same unacceptable situation as Abdeslam Ouaddou."

Last year French footballer Zahir Belounis finally returned home, saying he was left stranded for 17 months in Qatar because of a financial dispute with his club.

"This practice must stop. Freedom of movement cannot be abused, not even in Qatar," said Brendan Schwab, head of FIFPro's Asia division.

"FIFPro urges the Qatari football authorities and local authorities to respect the rights of the key people who will deliver that World Cup: the workers who build the World Cup stadia and the players who play in them." (Reporting by Brian Homewood; editing by Tony Jimenez)

We look forward to the day when construction workers claim their outstanding payments! They have a harder time of it than the footballers, of course.

From today's "Guardian"...

"More than 500 Indian migrant workers have died in Qatar since January 2012, revealing for the first time the shocking scale of death toll among those building the infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup.

Official figures confirmed by the Indian embassy in Doha reveal that 237 Indians working in Qatar died in 2012 and 241 in 2013. A further 24 Indians have died in January 2014.

These come after the Guardian revealed last month that 185 Nepalese workers had died in Qatar in 2013, taking the total from that country to at least 382 over two years..."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/18/qatar-world-cup-india-migrant-worker-deaths

and...

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/27/nepalese-workers-world-cup-building-sites-qatar-left-paralysed

Maybe the Qataris could learn from the progressive steps taken in recent years in the U.A.E...

'On-site inspections were rare, regulations were still under development and accidents were common. Requirements for construction site safety plans were not enforced, and few workers were educated about the risks of the job.

"We have come very far since then," said Abdulaziz Zurub, who established the health and safety division at the municipality in May 2010 and is now its director.

"We started with the question of how to fill the gaps. This is a long trip, so we are slowly, systematically working." '

http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/abu-dhabi-inspectors-plug-gaps-in-construction-safety

and...

http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/snap-inspections-boost-safety-in-abu-dhabi-construction-sites


Geronimo

[Geronimo]

A recent report in the Abu Dhabi-based "TheNational" examined
the decline in numbers of fatalities in the UAE construction industry year-on-year.
The numbers have gone down by almost one third...
http://www.thenational.ae/uae/health/number-of-workers-killed-by-falls-in-abu-dhabi-reduces-by-a-third-figures-reveal

Regarding the situation in Doha, earlier this week the international law firm, DLA Piper, produced its report for the Qatari government.
Will its 62 recommendations be implemented later this year? Next year?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/14/qatar-admits-deaths-in-migrant-workers?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

How about the Qataris themselves?
This BBC News report asks,
"Has wealth made Qatar happy?"
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27142647



Geronimo

[Geronimo]

Two British Human Rights workers have been missing in Qatar for 6 days now...
http://time.com/3274627/british-human-rights-workers-missing-qatar/

Let's hope that they both turn up safe and sound soon!

Geronimo

[Geronimo]

Today's "Guardian" provides an update on the current circumstances of the two Human Rights workers...
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/07/qatar-detains-humn-rights-british-workers


Geronimo

[2buckets]

Just where do these "rights activists" think they are? Even though they have British passports, they don't necessarily get treated as Brits. It's unfortunate, but that's the reality in the Gulf.

These organizations should know better and only send Norwegians.

[johnslat]

Dear 2buckets,

"These organizations should know better and only send Norwegians."

Or, better yet, Martians.

Regards,
John

[Geronimo]

"The 2011 National census lists 123 languages spoken as a mother tongue (first language) in Nepal..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Nepal

Unfortunately, Norwegian isn't one of them, 2buckets.


Geronimo

[Geronimo]

The two Human Rights workers, Krishna Upadhyaya and Ghimire Gundev, were released from police custody 2 weeks ago.
They were supported by staff at the British embassy.

http://dohanews.co/british-human-rights-advocates-released-police-custody-qatar/

Yay! Some good news!

Now for the bad news... Roshan Kumar Singh of Thamel, Kathmandu had to rely on the Nepalese embassy for support...

http://www.dorjegurung.com/blog/2014/09/casualty-of-qatar-17-years-of-yearning-for-home/?fb_action_ids=10152694566357095&fb_action_types=news.publishes&fb_ref=pub-standard

Geronimo

[Geronimo]

Two brothers originally from New Dehli have been kind and generous towards the desperately poor construction workers labouring away in Doha.

Recently they started to offer free meals for those workers who can't afford to pay 6 Qatari Riyals - about $1:65 - for a fish curry at their restaurant.

"“When I saw the board I had tears in my eyes,” said one of the owners, Shadab Khan, 47, originally from New Delhi, who has lived in Qatar for 13 years.
“Even now when I talk about it, I get a lump in my throat.”
He said the idea came from his younger brother, Nishab..."
http://www.arabnews.com/news/731511

Earlier this month a high-level delegation arrived in Kathmandu from Doha to address a series of issues relating to the recruitment of Nepalese workers for the massive construction operations in Qatar.

'“Our demands were well received by the Qatari side. We have been assured that our issues would be taken up to Qatari prime minister and cabinet,” State Labour Minister Tek Bahadur Gurung told the Post. “We expect Qatar to take some concrete steps within a few weeks.”'
http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2015/04/07/news/qatar-pledges-workers-safety/275110.html

Progress is long overdue...

"At least 70 percent of Nepali migrant workers who died in Qatar are deprived of compensation. In the past four years alone, 684 Nepali workers died in Qatar, according to the Foreign Employment Promotion Board. The Board had issued reimbursement to families of 205 deceased workers in 2013/14, 110 in 2012/13, 130 in 2011/12, 125 in 2010-11 and 114 in 2009-10, though the exact number of death is said to be higher.

Foreign employment experts said providing due compensation “matters a lot” to families of the migrant workers as most of these families are poor. They said that lives of many families have shattered due to death of their bread-winners abroad. Many families have been displaced or are failing to meet daily necessities or even compelled to forfeit meagre property for failing to pay debt they had taken to send their relatives abroad.

An Amnesty International report published in 2011 states that Nepali workers pay as high as 60 percent interest rate for money they borrow from money lenders to go abroad."
http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2015/04/06/news/qatar-urged-to-ensure-full-insurance-cover/275069.html

But is the message getting through?!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/qatar/11503669/Asian-labourers-press-ganged-into-joining-Qatar-marathon-record-attempt.html

Geronimo

[plumpy nut]

[scot47]

The Games ? What games ? You mean the World Cup ? Do try to keep up with the rest of the class !

[KidCurry and the Booshkas]

orrrnlee shaaaaYYin liiike

[Geronimo]

The "Kafala" sponsorship system remains difficult
for the Qatari government to reform...

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/qatars-troubled-kafala-system-proves-hard-change-042012480--sow.html

Geronimo