Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI1204
2003-03-12 13:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
WILDCAT STRIKE RESOLVED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 05/24/2007 04:53:30 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS TELEGRAM March 12, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1204 - ROUTINE) TAGS: ELAB, PREL, PHUM, PGOV, SOCI, CVIS Captions: None Subject: WILDCAT STRIKE RESOLVED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE LABOUR MINISTRY Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ UNCLAS ABU DHABI 01204 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: DCM P/M AMB POL Laser1: INFO: FCS DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: DCM: RAALBRIGHT DRAFTED: ECON: GARANA CLEARED: ECON: TEWILLIAMS VZCZCADI033 RR RUEHC RUCPDOC RUEHZM DE RUEHAD #1204 0711352 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 121352Z MAR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8823 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001204
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: WILDCAT STRIKE RESOLVED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE
LABOUR MINISTRY
REF: A) ABU DHABI 941, B) ABU DHABI 1090
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001204
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: WILDCAT STRIKE RESOLVED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE
LABOUR MINISTRY
REF: A) ABU DHABI 941, B) ABU DHABI 1090
1. (U) Local press prominently reported the resolution of a
strike by forty laborers against a contracting firm on March 11.
The employees stopped working for a week to protest the decision
of the firm to pay them daily instead of monthly (why daily
payments were perceived as pernicious by the workers is not
clear). Though the original work contract mandated daily
payments, the employer had been paying wages on a monthly basis
for the previous six months. The Labour Disputes Section of the
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs dispatched a team to
investigate the complaint and mediated an agreement between the
parties, convincing the workers to end their protest. The
Ministry sided with the workers and concluded that since they had
been paid monthly for the last six months, the original contract
was superceded. The contractor agreed to abide by the Ministry's
decision.
2.(SBU) Comment: As this example demonstrates, workers in the
UAE enjoy some degree of latitude when it comes to exercising
their rights. The environment fostered by the government is
generally permissive, explaining why the occasional work
stoppage/strike, while technically unsanctioned in law, is
nonetheless viewed benignly by the authorities. Although these
informal rights are not inconsiderable, the UAE federal
government--in an effort to further modernize the economy -- is
nonetheless pushing forward with formal legislation to
institutionalize unions and clearly define their role (see
reftels).
Wahba
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: WILDCAT STRIKE RESOLVED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE
LABOUR MINISTRY
REF: A) ABU DHABI 941, B) ABU DHABI 1090
1. (U) Local press prominently reported the resolution of a
strike by forty laborers against a contracting firm on March 11.
The employees stopped working for a week to protest the decision
of the firm to pay them daily instead of monthly (why daily
payments were perceived as pernicious by the workers is not
clear). Though the original work contract mandated daily
payments, the employer had been paying wages on a monthly basis
for the previous six months. The Labour Disputes Section of the
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs dispatched a team to
investigate the complaint and mediated an agreement between the
parties, convincing the workers to end their protest. The
Ministry sided with the workers and concluded that since they had
been paid monthly for the last six months, the original contract
was superceded. The contractor agreed to abide by the Ministry's
decision.
2.(SBU) Comment: As this example demonstrates, workers in the
UAE enjoy some degree of latitude when it comes to exercising
their rights. The environment fostered by the government is
generally permissive, explaining why the occasional work
stoppage/strike, while technically unsanctioned in law, is
nonetheless viewed benignly by the authorities. Although these
informal rights are not inconsiderable, the UAE federal
government--in an effort to further modernize the economy -- is
nonetheless pushing forward with formal legislation to
institutionalize unions and clearly define their role (see
reftels).
Wahba