Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ABUDHABI4502
2004-12-13 07:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
NEW UAE MINISTER OF LABOR ON DRAFT LEGISLATION
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 12/19/2006 04:44:49 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 04502 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: AMB INFO: DCM ECON DISSEMINATION: AMB CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: AMB:MJSISON DRAFTED: P/E:MCARVER CLEARED: ECON:OJOHN, DCM:RALBRIGHT VZCZCADI363 PP RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHDE RUEHC DE RUEHAD #4502 3480722 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 130722Z DEC 04 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7156 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 4588 RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004502
SIPDIS
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2014
TAGS: ELAB ETRD PGOV TC
SUBJECT: NEW UAE MINISTER OF LABOR ON DRAFT LEGISLATION
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR SISON FOR REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 004502
SIPDIS
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2014
TAGS: ELAB ETRD PGOV TC
SUBJECT: NEW UAE MINISTER OF LABOR ON DRAFT LEGISLATION
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR SISON FOR REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) On December 11, Ambassador paid her initial courtesy
call on Dr. Ali Al Kaabi, the new UAE Minister of Labor. NEA
DAS Philo Dibble and Dubai Pol/Econoff accompanied.
Ambassador asked Al Kaabi about the status of the draft UAE
labor and trade union legislation. Al Kaabi replied that the
Ministry of Justice technical committee was nearing its
review of revised labor law; he expected the drafts to be
ready within a month. Al Kaabi said that the UAE would
legally protect the rights to strike and bargain
collectively, even for foreigners working in the UAE. He
added that these rights would not apply to two "critical
sectors": oil and energy. Al Kaabi asserted the UAE's
intention to be fully ILO compliant (while noting that the
the USG had not ratified all of the ILO,s core labor
conventions).
2. (C) The Ambassador noted that labor questions might come
up at USTR's January 12 open hearing on the proposed US-UAE
FTA. Al Kaabi acknowledged the need to move forward fast.
"The first draft (of the labor law) is not engraved in stone
-- let's just get it done," he said.
3. (C) Al Kaabi said that his first goal at the MoL was to
improve the level of service his employees were providing,
including changing their mentality. Al Kaabi, until recently
an Offsets Group senior manager, agreed with reports that the
new cabinet had more of a "private sector" mentality.
SISON
SIPDIS
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2014
TAGS: ELAB ETRD PGOV TC
SUBJECT: NEW UAE MINISTER OF LABOR ON DRAFT LEGISLATION
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR SISON FOR REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) On December 11, Ambassador paid her initial courtesy
call on Dr. Ali Al Kaabi, the new UAE Minister of Labor. NEA
DAS Philo Dibble and Dubai Pol/Econoff accompanied.
Ambassador asked Al Kaabi about the status of the draft UAE
labor and trade union legislation. Al Kaabi replied that the
Ministry of Justice technical committee was nearing its
review of revised labor law; he expected the drafts to be
ready within a month. Al Kaabi said that the UAE would
legally protect the rights to strike and bargain
collectively, even for foreigners working in the UAE. He
added that these rights would not apply to two "critical
sectors": oil and energy. Al Kaabi asserted the UAE's
intention to be fully ILO compliant (while noting that the
the USG had not ratified all of the ILO,s core labor
conventions).
2. (C) The Ambassador noted that labor questions might come
up at USTR's January 12 open hearing on the proposed US-UAE
FTA. Al Kaabi acknowledged the need to move forward fast.
"The first draft (of the labor law) is not engraved in stone
-- let's just get it done," he said.
3. (C) Al Kaabi said that his first goal at the MoL was to
improve the level of service his employees were providing,
including changing their mentality. Al Kaabi, until recently
an Offsets Group senior manager, agreed with reports that the
new cabinet had more of a "private sector" mentality.
SISON