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Santhosh Chandran
Doha
Qatar has taken huge steps forward to improve workers' condition and is on its way to becoming a model for other Gulf states, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) General Secretary Sharan Burrow has said.
Speaking to the media at the newly-opened International Labour Organization (ILO) office in Doha on Monday, the ITUC chief praised the steps taken by Qatar for improving the work environment and ensuring the rights of workers.
Burrow said the three-year agreement that Qatar has signed with the ILO would further improve the condition of workers.
Burrow said Qatar and ILO are involved in taking decisions on minimum wage and Kafala system as per the three-year agreement signed last year.
She said an announcement on minimum wage and other benefits for workers are likely to be announced later this year.
"Qatar has fixed its minimum wage for workers at QR750. We think that the existing minimum wage is not sufficient and ITUC has given proposals in this regard. So, based on new practice, an updated minimum wage structure along with other benefits for workers will be announced later this year," Burrow added.
She called the opening of the ILO office in Qatar a"historic event".
"This is one of the major steps in labour reforms in Qatar, and the ITUC offers full support to ILO's programmes," she said.
According to one of the proposals, she said, a new labour contract registration system linking recruitment agency and the government is going to be introduced.
"This new contract system will help minimise contract substitutions. A complaint mechanism will also be introduced to sort out the labour issues. Through the new mechanism, workers would be able to approach the labour ministry with their complaints and it will be sorted out within three weeks, unless there are legal disputes involved. Also, the complaints will be kept confidential," the ITUC official said.
"I have visited one of the World Cup stadium construction sites and watched the amazing work and good workers' practices. I also visited medical centres and accommodations that featured modern facilities," she said.
"The work crisis committees established as part of discussions with the labour ministry have the capacity to sort out a number of issues and create a positive working environment. The complaint system and a good team of judges will help sort out many issues," she added.
"Qatar also plans to establish a fund to support labourers. This fund will be used to pay the wages of workers if their employers deny the same for any reasons," Burrow said.
"The ministry will also announce the latest update on the 'Kafala' system and the 'Exit Permit' which is currently a matter of legislative affair," Burrow said.
