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Labour camps a neglected area

ABU DHABI - Rising population in the labour camps mirrors the real growth of economy. But for labourers it is a neglected area as employers ignore the rights and privileges of the workers despite stringent rules and regulations which have been enforced in the country to ensure that workers enjoy all benefits guaranteed by their employment contracts.

There has been a mushroom growth in the companies, which work as sub-contractors for large construction companies to provide skilled and unskilled labour force, which they hire from various Asian countries.

These companies are bound by contracts to take care of worker's accommodation, food, transportation and medical care needs of their workers. But, the stark reality is that only 40-50 per cent of these companies bother to fulfil their responsibility, workers say.

Most companies are careless to provide their workers with even a moderately decent accommodation at the labour camps. They don't even provide proper food while the medical help is a real privilege.

There are over 1000-labour camps in the Abu Dhabi's industrial area of Mussafah alone while there are estimated 5000-6000 in Dubai.

But, many workers interviewed by Khaleej Times said they were promised what turned out to be "wishful thinking" at the time of hiring back home. The provision of accommodation, food, transport, medical and air tickets after two years lures workers forcing them to sell their assets to pay to the manpower recruiting company to get this job.

However, when these workers land here the promised facilities become dreams as a big number of workers have never availed of such facilities in latter and spirit, said an Indian construction worker Satvindar Singh.

Many employers who recruit these workers are far from following the rules and regulations governing the living conditions of the employees, which has been introduced, by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to safeguard their interest.

A.V. Abdul Wahab, a cleaning worker said that some four years ago he used to live with eight persons in a 10X12 feet room at a labour camp in the Mussafah area. The population of roommates continued to rise and now 13 persons share his room.

"When we all gather in our room to go to bed, there is not enough space left for us to walk through. We cannot even sit comfortably", he said.

Abdur Rashid, another worker said that the room becomes so congested that breathing is also a problem and there are many other complex problems associated with sharing of room with 10-12 people of different nationalities, ethnic backgrounds and habits etc., making life miserable.

For instance in many cases people live with their roommates as strangers as they fail to develop commonality of interest with others due to cultural dissimilarities. "But, we are one in our struggle to earn maximum for our families back home," he said.

"We don't even have enough space to keep our belongings," he said.

Many workers particularly working with construction, cleaning, security firms etc. have opportunities to do overtime work for some extra money so they leave the camp at 4.00am and come back at 10.00pm, just to take dinner and go to bed.

Employees who have fixed working hours had to spend most of their time at the labour camp complained of a miserable life.

The companies, which are responsible for the provision of food to their employees according to the contracts, do it as a formality by compromising on quality and quantity to save some money. About the menu most workers said rice and lentils are served daily, for dinner Khubus is an integral part of the meal. For breakfast, Edli and tea is served at most of the labour camps. "It is compulsory," said one labourer.

Those who work during lunchtime are given Dh100-150 allowance, which is such meagre, amount that workers say they cannot buy anything. As a result, many have to cook their food themselves in the morning for lunch.

The workers who work at least 8-12 hours a day said reason behind their depression was the poor living conditions, and poor quality of food.

Labourers complained that the Ministry of Labour and Social affairs has never conducted raids on their labour camps to inspect the inhuman conditions in some of these facilities.

A source at the ministry said the companies must fulfil the conditions they agreed with their employees under Chapter 101 of the labour law that governs the living conditions of the workers.

He said that Inspection Department at the ministry carries out regular inspections at the labour camps run by the companies to check whether the facilities are clean and proper food is provided etc.