UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001090

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA, DRL AND EB/CBA
STATE PASS OPIC/OPIC INTERNATIONAL POLICY DEPARTMENT FOR VIRGINIA
GREEN AND HARVEY HAMBURG
USDOC FOR 4530/ITA/MAC/ONE/DGUGLIELMI,
4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/CLOUSTAUNAU,
4500/ITA/MAC/DAS/WILLIAMSON,
3131/CS/OIO/ANESA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PREL PHUM PGOV SOCI CVIS TC
SUBJECT: UAE LABOR UNIONS WILL BE "FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL"

REF: ABU DHABI 941


1. (U) An editorial published on March 3 by a well-regarded
economic commentator lauded the recent Ministry of Labour draft
proposal to formally establish labor unions (reftel). Salah Al
Halyan, managing director of Gulf Insurance Consulting and an
editorial columnist for the Gulf News, wrote that "unions will
soon exist in this part of the world; a great move which will
provide for improved work conditions and protection of workers'
rights leading to higher work standards. The winds of change are
certainly blowing in our direction, for the benefit of all."


2. (SBU) Comment: Al Halyan's comments are indicative of the
positive reception the draft proposals have received. While
workers already enjoy considerable informal rights to organize
and request redress of grievances (strikes, though infrequent,
are not uncommon here), regulations to formerly recognize these
rights present further progress towards the establishment in the
UAE of a fully modern economy, as desired by both business and
government leaders here.

Wahba