One stranded expat went three days without eating and survived off water at mosques
The Ministry of Labour has asked the directors of its labour office departments to not attest or sanction any contracts or conditions set by the embassies regarding domestic workers.
In a circular, the ministry on Thursday asked officials to instruct the manpower offices that hire domestic servants in the UAE to adhere to the new contract model form when dealing with domestic workers. The ministry has asked them to strictly adhere to the unified labour contract in its new form, which was enforced from June 1.
The action was taken in view of the Philippines Embassy’s procedures of imposing conditions on the domestic helpers brought into the UAE. The move upset and irked some officials. Many UAE officials believe that the embassy’s ruling contravenes the international law, as embassies have no right to interfere in countries’ internal affairs and levy special conditions.
The circular makes it mandatory on labour offices to not set conditions like reporting to embassies to sign pledging contracts on residents who wish to hire domestic workers from outside the country.
Embassies should coordinate with Foreign Ministry
The work of the embassies is streamlined by the international law and the Geneva Convention, Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan had said during a FNC session last year. He said the articles of the convention confirm the work restrictions of the diplomatic missions, and the UAE has ratified that convention.
Embassies cannot make contracts without coordinating with the Foreign Ministry, and any work made outside this frame will prompt the ministry to summon the ambassador or the charge d’affiers.
He said there are embassies which conduct work outside the articles of the convention, and the Embassy of the Philippines had contacted a number of companies which bring in Filipino manpower to the country. The Philippines’ Embassy has the right to lay down some restrictions, but only in the Philippines, and they have “no right to infringe upon the rules of the UAE government”.
“Any illegal communications made by the embassies on any pretext or excuse, including any prejudice to the sovereignty of the country, is regarded as a violation,” Shaikh Abdullah warned.
There are practices in some countries, he said, in which embassies gather information and data, which could be general, and this is acceptable here, but any act that infringes the sovereignty of the country is regarded as a violation.
“The Foreign Ministry is the main gate for all communications of embassies with any sector in the UAE, and in case any company has a complaint, it can contact the ministry and explain its plea,” he said.
He said the ministry is circulating this principle to all diplomatic missions in the UAE, and has also informed the local and federal government departments.
news@khaleejtimes.com
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