The government of Abu Dhabi says that it has fined 5,407 companies for infringement of worker rights over the past two years.
According to a statement published on the government newswire WAM, agencies in the Emirate have been cracking down on companies that have failed to deliver the required standards of living, accomodation and health care.
Abu Dhabi has invested $5.4bn in 23 different labour cities which can house more than 385,000 workers. According to government statistics, current occupancy of the labour cities is at 195,000 workers, or 51%.
Recent years has seen Abu Dhabi implement a number of regulations that require companies to transport their workers between their worksites and the labour cities, and forbids them to accommodate workers on construction sites or in other crowded places under unsanitary conditions.
“The Government of Abu Dhabi will continue to conduct routine inspections to ensure that companies adhere to these obligations, and those that are found to be in breach will be punished accordingly,” said the statement.
“5,470 companies were fined during the period from June 2010 to May 2012, while 648 companies undertook remedial actions to ensure compliance within a specified period of time.”