Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05KUWAIT1752
2005-04-30 12:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:
HELP JUST A CALL AWAY: FOREIGN LABORERS TO PHONE
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS KUWAIT 001752
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR G/TIP, NEA/ARPI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV ELAB KU
SUBJECT: HELP JUST A CALL AWAY: FOREIGN LABORERS TO PHONE
IN COMPLAINTS
REF: A. KUWAIT 1732
B. KUWAIT 1729
Only days after the unprecedented laborer attack on the
Bangladeshi EMBASSY (ref A,B),the GOK established a hotline
that foreign laborers can use to lodge complaints against
their employers. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor
announced that the around-the-clock hotline, which began
operation April 29, can receive complaints via telephone and
fax. The hotline's primary function is to ensure that workers
are being paid on time and in accordance with their labor
contracts. Under Article 134 of the Kuwaiti labor law, any
company delinquent in salary payments more than 15 days can
be prosecuted. Punishments include reimbursing the workers
from company deposits with the Ministry, freezing all
business transactions between the company and any government
entity and suspending the company's ability to sponsor new
expatriate employees. The withholding of workers' salaries of
up to five months precipitated the April 24 Bangladeshi
revolt and more commonly afflicts the unskilled, Asian
expatriate labor force.
LEBARON
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR G/TIP, NEA/ARPI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV ELAB KU
SUBJECT: HELP JUST A CALL AWAY: FOREIGN LABORERS TO PHONE
IN COMPLAINTS
REF: A. KUWAIT 1732
B. KUWAIT 1729
Only days after the unprecedented laborer attack on the
Bangladeshi EMBASSY (ref A,B),the GOK established a hotline
that foreign laborers can use to lodge complaints against
their employers. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor
announced that the around-the-clock hotline, which began
operation April 29, can receive complaints via telephone and
fax. The hotline's primary function is to ensure that workers
are being paid on time and in accordance with their labor
contracts. Under Article 134 of the Kuwaiti labor law, any
company delinquent in salary payments more than 15 days can
be prosecuted. Punishments include reimbursing the workers
from company deposits with the Ministry, freezing all
business transactions between the company and any government
entity and suspending the company's ability to sponsor new
expatriate employees. The withholding of workers' salaries of
up to five months precipitated the April 24 Bangladeshi
revolt and more commonly afflicts the unskilled, Asian
expatriate labor force.
LEBARON