Construction worker support association nears launch in Bahrain
BD100fils per month for legal, health, wage redressal
A new association to address the rights of construction workers will be formed in Bahrain by the Bahrain Free Labour Union Federation (BFLUF), with the initiative now in its final stages.
Migrant workers across various companies have been visited by BFLUF members in a bid to encourage their enrolment with the association, which is expected to cost as little as BD100 fils (< $2) a month.
“We have finalised our plans to set up a construction union in Bahrain that will work towards protecting the rights of thousands of semi-skilled migrant workers, who are often exploited,” Basem Kuwaitan, vice president of BFLUF told Gulf Daily News. “We will be charging a nominal fee of BD1.200 per year, which comes to 100 fils a month.
“The number of members is going to be huge and we are working on other areas within BFLUF to accommodate and help these workers,” Kuwaitan added, stating workers will be provided with redressal on “wages, safe accommodation, health, safety, insurance and other issues affecting construction workers.”
Kuwaitan added: “The challenge ahead of us it to encourage companies and even workers to be part of trade unions, as they tend to shy away or ignore us.”
