Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05DUBAI181
2005-01-12 13:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Dubai
Cable title:
DUBAI LABOR SEMINAR STRESSES ILO COMPLIANCE
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 12/06/2006 06:08:49 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLAS DUBAI 00181 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: AMB DCM POL P/M DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG VZCZCADO441 PP RUEHAD DE RUEHDE #0181 0121349 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 121349Z JAN 05 FM AMCONSUL DUBAI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0887 INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0489 RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 3647 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0001 RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS DUBAI 000181
SIPDIS
USTR FOR DOUG BELL AND BUD CLATANOFF
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PGOV TC
SUBJECT: DUBAI LABOR SEMINAR STRESSES ILO COMPLIANCE
UNCLAS DUBAI 000181
SIPDIS
USTR FOR DOUG BELL AND BUD CLATANOFF
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PGOV TC
SUBJECT: DUBAI LABOR SEMINAR STRESSES ILO COMPLIANCE
1. (U) Summary: From January 8-10, the UAE Ministry of Labor and
Social Affairs (MoL) hosted a seminar in Dubai for MoL employees
entitled "The Role of the Labor Department in the Implementation
of the International and Arab Labor Standards and Basic
Principles and Rights at Work." The purpose of the seminar,
given to 30 labor inspectors and legal affairs officers, was to
help them understand how to apply the six core ILO conventions
the UAEG has signed. MoL U/S Dr. Khalid Al Khazraji opened the
seminar by reading a keynote speech by Minister of Labor Dr. Ali
Al Ka'abi stressing the UAE's intention to adhere to and
implement international conventions. End Summary.
2. (U) From January 8-10, the UAE Ministry of Labor and Social
Affairs (MoL) hosted a seminar in Dubai entitled "The Role of
the Labor Department in the Implementation of the International
and Arab Labor Standards and Basic Principles and Rights at
Work." Organized in cooperation with the Arab Center for Labor
Management and Employment in Tunisia, the seminar was attended
by 30 MoL inspectors and legal affairs officers. MoL U/S Dr.
Khalid Al Khazraji opened the seminar by reading a keynote
speech by Minister of Labor Dr. Ali Al Ka'abi stressing the
UAE's intention to adhere to and implement international
conventions. He noted that the UAE had ratified nine ILO
conventions, including 6 of the 8 core labor conventions. He
stressed that "ratification of international labor conventions
obligates the country to observe them in national legislation
and practice. This puts a huge responsibility on labor
officials to monitor the UAE's obligations in labor standards."
3. (SBU) On January 11, Consul General and PolEconoff met with
Al Khazraji to get a readout on the seminar. Al Khazraji said
the purpose of the seminar was to help the MoL participants
understand how to apply, in the UAE context, the six ILO core
conventions that the UAE had signed. Al Khazraji said other
topics discussed included a comparison of UAE law to ILO
standards, and a how-to session on writing reports for the ILO.
4. (SBU) The four main presenters at the seminar were two
experts from the Tunisian Arab Labor Center and two experts from
the MoL. According to Al Khazraji, the 30 participants were
mainly young up-and-comers at the MoL. For some it was their
first exposure to the ILO conventions. Participants especially
enjoyed the workshop session, when they divided into four
groups, each of which analyzed how to apply a different ILO
convention.
5. (SBU) CG asked whether the seminar had dealt at all with the
labor union law. Al Khazraji said the seminar had not dealt with
that law, and that in fact that law had not been completely
drafted yet. Would the new law allow foreign workers to join
labor unions, CG asked? Al Khazraji said the UAEG was still
debating that issue.
6. (SBU) Regarding the recently released statistic that 11,424
labor complaints involving 16,424 laborers had been lodged with
the MoL in 2004, Al Khazraji said "the UAE is a vibrant and
growing market -- this is to be expected." He said 80 percent
of the disputes were resolved at the MoL rather than going to
court. Al Khazraji additionally claimed that workers themselves
were partially to blame in many cases. "They wait until after
they haven't been paid for six or seven months before coming to
us, rather than coming after two or three months," he said.
7. (SBU) Comment: UAEG officials have told us repeatedly that
they understand the need to revise their labor law to bring it
more in compliance with ILO standards. The issue of allowing
labor unions is a sensitive one here, but one that the UAEG
understands must be dealt with as part of FTA negotiations with
the U.S. In the meantime, however, the Ministry of Labor
continues its efforts to better enforce the existing law and to
comply with the ILO conventions that the UAE is a member of.
This cable was coordinated with Embassy Abu Dhabi.
DAVIS
SIPDIS
USTR FOR DOUG BELL AND BUD CLATANOFF
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PGOV TC
SUBJECT: DUBAI LABOR SEMINAR STRESSES ILO COMPLIANCE
1. (U) Summary: From January 8-10, the UAE Ministry of Labor and
Social Affairs (MoL) hosted a seminar in Dubai for MoL employees
entitled "The Role of the Labor Department in the Implementation
of the International and Arab Labor Standards and Basic
Principles and Rights at Work." The purpose of the seminar,
given to 30 labor inspectors and legal affairs officers, was to
help them understand how to apply the six core ILO conventions
the UAEG has signed. MoL U/S Dr. Khalid Al Khazraji opened the
seminar by reading a keynote speech by Minister of Labor Dr. Ali
Al Ka'abi stressing the UAE's intention to adhere to and
implement international conventions. End Summary.
2. (U) From January 8-10, the UAE Ministry of Labor and Social
Affairs (MoL) hosted a seminar in Dubai entitled "The Role of
the Labor Department in the Implementation of the International
and Arab Labor Standards and Basic Principles and Rights at
Work." Organized in cooperation with the Arab Center for Labor
Management and Employment in Tunisia, the seminar was attended
by 30 MoL inspectors and legal affairs officers. MoL U/S Dr.
Khalid Al Khazraji opened the seminar by reading a keynote
speech by Minister of Labor Dr. Ali Al Ka'abi stressing the
UAE's intention to adhere to and implement international
conventions. He noted that the UAE had ratified nine ILO
conventions, including 6 of the 8 core labor conventions. He
stressed that "ratification of international labor conventions
obligates the country to observe them in national legislation
and practice. This puts a huge responsibility on labor
officials to monitor the UAE's obligations in labor standards."
3. (SBU) On January 11, Consul General and PolEconoff met with
Al Khazraji to get a readout on the seminar. Al Khazraji said
the purpose of the seminar was to help the MoL participants
understand how to apply, in the UAE context, the six ILO core
conventions that the UAE had signed. Al Khazraji said other
topics discussed included a comparison of UAE law to ILO
standards, and a how-to session on writing reports for the ILO.
4. (SBU) The four main presenters at the seminar were two
experts from the Tunisian Arab Labor Center and two experts from
the MoL. According to Al Khazraji, the 30 participants were
mainly young up-and-comers at the MoL. For some it was their
first exposure to the ILO conventions. Participants especially
enjoyed the workshop session, when they divided into four
groups, each of which analyzed how to apply a different ILO
convention.
5. (SBU) CG asked whether the seminar had dealt at all with the
labor union law. Al Khazraji said the seminar had not dealt with
that law, and that in fact that law had not been completely
drafted yet. Would the new law allow foreign workers to join
labor unions, CG asked? Al Khazraji said the UAEG was still
debating that issue.
6. (SBU) Regarding the recently released statistic that 11,424
labor complaints involving 16,424 laborers had been lodged with
the MoL in 2004, Al Khazraji said "the UAE is a vibrant and
growing market -- this is to be expected." He said 80 percent
of the disputes were resolved at the MoL rather than going to
court. Al Khazraji additionally claimed that workers themselves
were partially to blame in many cases. "They wait until after
they haven't been paid for six or seven months before coming to
us, rather than coming after two or three months," he said.
7. (SBU) Comment: UAEG officials have told us repeatedly that
they understand the need to revise their labor law to bring it
more in compliance with ILO standards. The issue of allowing
labor unions is a sensitive one here, but one that the UAEG
understands must be dealt with as part of FTA negotiations with
the U.S. In the meantime, however, the Ministry of Labor
continues its efforts to better enforce the existing law and to
comply with the ILO conventions that the UAE is a member of.
This cable was coordinated with Embassy Abu Dhabi.
DAVIS