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[johnslat]

ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 10, 2011 23:50 Updated: Jun 11, 2011 12:46

JEDDAH: "The Labor Ministry has warned foreigners working in private sector companies that they risk being deported if they harass Saudi employees, local Arabic daily Al-Madinah reported Friday.

Quoting an anonymous ministry source, the newspaper reported there have been a few cases of harassment against Saudi employees, especially at medium-size private establishments.

�Some of these cases were detected in one of the private companies, but after they were discussed with officials of the company, they were resolved,� he said without naming the company.

The newspaper also quoted Muhammad Ibrahim Galal, director of employment at the Labor Office in Jeddah, as saying that the ministry was closely following private establishments to check any harassment of Saudi employees by the company's officials or its foreign staff.

�If reports about violations in any company are received, the ministry sends a fact-finding team to verify the situation; and if it finds that violations were committed, they are discussed with the company and punishments are considered.�

Lately, the government has launched a series of initiatives to end unemployment among Saudis.

In a statement last October, Minister of Labor Adel Fakeih estimated the number of unemployed Saudis at 500,000, adding that they represented about 10 percent of the expatriate workforce."

And some comments:
REHAN AHMAD SHAH
Jun 11, 2011 10:21
Report abuse
"this labor minister needs to check what he is talking about! its usually the other way
this labor minister needs to check what he is talking about! its usually the other way round; saudis harrassing non saudis especially from asia and afrika. but yet nothing is done to protect these exploited foreigners. this is really a sad and pathetic step taken by this minister.
SCOTTY
Jun 11, 2011 10:21
Report abuse Any yet Saudi employees can harass expatriate employees with no consequences.
Better that there was one rule for all.
This is simply injustice.
IN ALL FAIRNESS
Jun 11, 2011 10:22
Report abuse As long as the Kingdom's Labor Ministry is doing its due dilligence in protecting nationals, it could also extend the same services to non Saudis without hesitation, or for that matter, through public announcement. By all means, protect your citizens' right & their priority for employment but also do what is correct in terms of ensuring that workplace rights and privileges are equal whether Saudi or not.
SKEPTICAL
Jun 11, 2011 12:13
Report abuse expat harrasing saudi employee? that's unbelievable who would dare to do that. Here in KSA authorities always look at the expatriates as the culprit in all whats happening here. They've always blaming the expat's.expat taxi driver = harrasser, maid = torturing themselves to death, expat company employee = harrasing saudi employee, saudi unemployment = because of the presence of the expat. Let me ask you, who hire us? Did we come here on our own, aren't you guys are the one who needs our services because your people are to lazy and too proud of themselves? Don't blame us blame your people and your culture"

Regards,
John

[It's Scary!]

How, pray tell, does an expat "harass" a Saudi in the workplace?

Chide him/her for having yet another cup of tea before lifting a finger to do the "job" s/he was supposedly hired to do in the first place???

It's Scary!

[veiledsentiments]

I'm actually surprised that they published the comments.

VS

[johnslat]

Dear veiledsentiments,

I was, too. That's why I posted a sampling. I should have posted a link, though:

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article452138.ece


Regards,
John

[veiledsentiments]

Over 80 comments and only a handful of Saudis who tried to defend themselves. One I noted tried to pass on the Saudi shortcomings onto the expats. We are hired to train them and we are doing a bad job. I would laugh if it weren't so sad... as if we could undo their family upbringing.

VS