Dubai to deport striking Arabtec workers
Fifty Bangladeshi workers to be deported, according to country’s consul general
The workers were rounded up by police after they were identified as ring leaders in a two-week strike over pay rises, according to local media reports.
It is estimated that 5000 workers employed by Arabtec first went on strike on 16 January to demand wage increases of AED 200 (US $55) from their average salaries of AED 800-1000 (depending on skill level).
The Bangladesh consul general Mohammed Abu Zafar said the worker protests had been a peaceful but, with striking illegal in the UAE, the police had broken up the strike.
“Intelligence people identified them and are being deported to Bangladesh,” he told media.
The strike coincided with the visit of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed to the UAE last week who was scheduled to talk about the employment rights of Bangladesh workers operating in the country.
“There are many good things to talk about,” said one of her advisors. “But there are some difficulties in some areas, including recruitment process and payment issues. We are hoping that together, we can improve the situation. We have a lot of labourers here, and we are always in touch with the UAE authorities regarding their problems, but the issue is that they are primarily hired by the private companies.
“We have a committee to discuss this. She will talk to the Government to create a legal framework for issues such as transportation and compensation of pay.”
Taking the lead from his country’s leader, Abu Zafar said that the Bangladesh government could introduce a minimum wage for all its citizens in the UAE, and that it could in future demand the level was met before allowing its nationals to work for companies in the UAE, according to reports.
