BANGLADESHI EMBASSY IN KUWAIT UPDATES G/TIP ON

UNCLAS KUWAIT 003464 SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR G/TIP, NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KCRM ELAB KU HURI PDEM SUBJECT: BANGLADESHI EMBASSY IN KUWAIT UPDATES G/TIP ON LABOR CONDITIONS REF: A. KUWAIT 3412 ¶B. KUWAIT 1729 ¶C. KUWAIT 1732 ¶1. (SBU) For source country insight into the plight of foreign laborers in Kuwait, visiting G/TIP delegation, Ambassador John Miller and Reports Officer Feleke Assefa (ref A),met July 27 with Bangladeshi Embassy Labor and Welfare Attache Shahriar Kader Siddiky who reported that 250,000 Bangladeshis work in Kuwait, primarily as cleaners, oil company support staff and agricultural workers. He said that he visits workers at their company-provided accommodations, which he described as "okay in general" but sometimes cram 8-10 people into one room. Siddiky mentioned that Bangladesh now prohibits its female citizens from working as maids abroad because of low pay and high incidence of abuse, although those employed before the ban may continue. He confirmed that there are no Bangladeshi camel jockeys in Kuwait. ¶2. (SBU) Siddiky said Bangladeshi nationals are subject to exploitation, reporting that he receives six or seven labor-related calls per day; most complain of late salary payment. In his two months in Kuwait, however, Siddiky has only received one report of physical abuse. Siddiky reported that the embassy operates, and fully funds, a shelter in a separate facility providing food and accommodation to maids in need. Bangladesh advocates increasing workers' wages or including room and board in the laborers' compensation package, he added. According to Siddiky, the embassy supports the establishment of a 50KD ($171) minimum monthly salary as opposed to the GOK-backed 40KD ($137). ¶3. (SBU) The Attache updated the delegation on the fate of workers who attacked their embassy in April protesting lack of salary payment (refs B,C). He reported that the group complained that Nibras Cleaning Service would either pay their staff for a lesser amount of hours than actually worked or withhold payment altogether. The GOK obligated the company to pay all back-wages. As a result of the public protests, according to Siddiky, the GOK canceled its contract with Nibras on June 30 resulting in 1,138 Bangladeshis losing their jobs. The embassy is attempting to transfer the workers to a new company, but, according to Siddiky, Kuwaiti law requires private sector employees to wait five years before switching sponsors. Government-sponsored workers, however, can transfer after one year. Until a solution is reached, the embassy is providing the unemployed workers with food. ¶4. (U) G/TIP has not cleared this message. ********************************************* Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website ********************************************* LEBARON