ABU DHABI // Bringing in expatriate labour to be “enslaved” is never permissible, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour has warned.
During a visit from a Federal National Council committee to the ministry on Monday, Humaid bin Deemas told members that the job change system protected the rights of employees and employers.
He said companies could not restrict employees who have fulfilled their contracts from changing jobs, while staff had to respect their two-year contracts.
“We in the UAE are proud of our labour practices,” he said. “Enslaving employees is not acceptable here at all.”
He said the law ensured that employees received their rights before leaving a job, and that expatriates made up 99 per cent of the labour market and needed the Government to protect them.
Backed up by international reports, Mr bin Deemas said the UAE had been doing a good job of this.
He said that while the number of workers in the market had not increased in the past year from four million, the labour market was still stable.
“After the economic crisis, the foreign press said the UAE would lose 35 per cent of its labour,” he said. “But, thankfully, numbers say yes there is no increase but there is stability. Four million are still here, with people leaving and coming. If there was a lot of violations and restrictions on them, people wouldn’t be coming.”
He told the FNC the ministry was working to help workers feel more secure.
But Dr Shaikha Al Ari (UAQ) said that with contracts allowing employees to move from one place to another, Emirati business owners were suffering. She said they bear the cost of bringing in an employee and training them only to later find they are in competition.
Sultan Al Sammahi (Fujairah) said that in some cases, expatriate workers have returned to buy the Emirati’s company.
“These are cases that have come to us,” he said.
But Mr bin Deemas said the two-year contracts were more than enough and employees had the right to change jobs as they pleased after that.
He said the two-year contract policy was followed in other countries, including Canada and Germany, and that it had even been changed to one year in Saudi Arabia.
“But there is a clause in the law that states that if they will compete with the company, they will be subject to a work ban,” he said. “Some people neglect that part of the law.”
The visit was part of the committee’s long-term study on how the labour market is regulated. The results will be publicly discussed at a future FNC session.
osalem@thenational.ae
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If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports