“…moderator Robert Ivy, FAIA, did his best to guide panelists’ attention toward controversies such as migrant-worker abuse (a topic on which a scathing Human Rights Watch report — citing hazards, deaths, and wages unpaid for months of labor in the 120-degree heat — recently got Sheikh Mohammed’s attention). With nary a contrarian to be heard, some of the responses to the event’s critical title question were more witty and succinct than penetrating: in Braley’s words, “Why not Dubai?” or as project director at Hyder Consulting Middle East John Mills said simply, “because we can.” eOCULUS | Previously
4 Comments
The following story no longer seems to be available on the wires. It was in the public domain in English on July 23rd:
UAE cracks down on Asian workers
Laith Abou-Ragheb
DUBAI
23-Jul-07
WALU, a 31-year-old Indian construction worker in the Gulf boomtown of Dubai, wipes the sweat from his face as he squints in the blazing midday sun.
"The work here is very hard and it is very hot," he tells AFP, before adjusting the piece of brown-sack cloth wrapped around his head that provides modest protection against summer temperatures that surpass 40 degrees Celsius.
Walu, who like many Indians uses only one name, is one of hundreds of thousands of South Asian labourers working in Dubai and the six other desert states that make up the United Arab Emirates.
Like other labourers who toil away in the stifling heat and dust of Dubai's countless building sites, he is entitled to a break from 12.30 pm to 3pm each working day during July and August when the sun's rays are strongest.
The importance of the time off was highlighted earlier this month when the local press reported that a construction worker had died of heat stroke.
The regulation was introduced three years ago by ministerial decree as part of measures to improve workers' conditions after the UAE came under fire from international rights watchdogs, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), over alleged abuses of workers' rights.
Low-wage construction labourers have staged several protests since last year to demand back pay or better living and working conditions, even though the UAE prohibits demonstrations and unions.
The country's labour ministry has decided to enforce the rule more strictly this summer.
Labour Minister Ali bin Abdullah al-Kaabi inspected a Dubai construction site this week to see for himself that workers' right to a break was being respected. He even mingled with resting labourers and handed out refreshments and sun shades.
cont'd...
...
According to his deputy, Hamid bin Dimass, 150 of 450 companies so far inspected this summer were in violation of the regulation and subsequently fined. Dimass said the figure was lower than last year's.
Ministry officials could not be reached for comment but the English-language daily Gulf News said more than 100 companies were fined a total of 1.2 million dirhams (US$327,000 ) during the first 13 days of the rule's enforcement this summer.
The ministry said this month that it had assembled a team of new inspectors that would closely monitor construction sites to ensure a "safe and secure working environment."
An industry source, who declined to be named, said matters had improved but feared some contractors would still be tempted to ignore the regulation because of time constraints.
Companies who do face stiff penalties. These include fines of up to 30,000 dirhams (US$8,168) for each labourer found working during the break. The company also stands to be publicly named by the ministry.
Construction giant Nakheel, which is building several huge artificial islands off the coast of Dubai, told AFP in a statement that it understood the importance of the midday break and would be willing to take strong action to ensure its contractors adhered to it.
So far, the ministry's crackdown seems to be proving effective, with reports suggesting there has been a sharp drop in the number of workers treated for heat-related cases.
Poorly paid South Asians form the bulk of construction and other blue-collar workers in the UAE, where locals make up only around 20 percent of a population of more than four million.
The mainly Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi labourers number about 500,000 in the construction sector alone, out of a total migrant worker population of 2,730,000, according to a 2006 report by HRW. AFP [Agence France Presse]
Also worth checking out: Mike Davis, "Fear and Money in Dubai"
John covered that back in Nov., but thanks Greg.
Dubai: Dystopia or Bust?
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.