UAE VICE-PRESIDENT MANDATES IMPROVING WORKER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 004253

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE PASS TO USTR FOR LKARESH, DBELL AND AROSENBERG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2016
TAGS: ELAB ECON PREL AE
SUBJECT: UAE VICE-PRESIDENT MANDATES IMPROVING WORKER
CONDITIONS

Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON FOR REASONS 1.4 (b & d).


1. (SBU) Summary: On November 7, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum (MbR),Vice-President and Prime Minister of the
UAE and Ruler of Dubai announced a series of measures to
improve the conditions of expatriate laborers including:
mandatory health insurance, the creation of a labor court, an
increase in labor inspectors, cracking down on unscrupulous
recruiting agencies and making it easier for employees to
change jobs. There are some new initiatives in MbR's
announcement, including lowering the amount of time that an
unpaid worker must wait before changing jobs and setting up a
labor court. More importantly, however, this is the first
time MbR, in his role as UAE Vice-President and Prime
Minister, has publicly called for the protection of workers'
rights. End Summary.


2. (U) On November 8, the local English and Arabic press
reported that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MbR),
Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of
Dubai met with Labor Minister Dr. Ali Al Ka'abi the day
before to discuss the conditions of laborers. According to
the English language daily, Gulf News, MbR said, "The UAE
will not tolerate any unjust treatment of workers or
compromise of their dignity and basic human rights." MbR
mandated that all requirements of health and safety standards
must be fulfilled to ensure decent conditions for the
workers. MbR also mandated that all workers receive health
insurance, but did not elaborate on how to implement this
mandate. Additionally, workers who have not been paid for at
least two months will now be allowed to change jobs without
the employer's permission. Previously, employees were not
able to change employers unless their salary had been in
arrears for at least three months. Sheikh Mohammed also
ordered the establishment of a new labor court and a huge
increase in the number of labor inspectors. Furthermore, MbR
asked Al Ka'abi to crack down on recruiting agencies to
ensure that they comply with the laws and prevent them from
abusing workers' rights. MbR also instructed the
Naturalization and Residency Department to implement special
contracts between domestic workers and their employers that
limit their working hours and grant them their "full rights."



3. (SBU) Econoff spoke to MOL Legal Advisor Yousif Gaffar
Sirag Al Noor for further information on MbR's announcements.
Al Noor said, "I am very excited about MbR's focus on labor
issues and said that Labor Minister Al Ka'abi will be moving
forward on the reforms very quickly." He also said that the
highly anticipated amendments to the labor law should be
passed soon. (Note: Embassy officials have been told for the
past three years that amendments to the labor law would be
passed "soon." End note.) Al Noor said the MOL and the
Ministry of Health would work together to come up with the
most efficient and effective way to provide health insurance
to all workers and also said that the cost would be shared
between the government and the employer. He also explained
that the new labor court would primarily hear cases involving
more than one claimant, i.e., where a company owes payment to
a group of workers. The new court will be comprised of five
individuals and each Emirate will have its own labor court.
Al Noor said there are currently 78 labor inspectors in the
MOL. According to the law, each company is supposed to be
inspected twice a year, but with only 78 labor inspectors
this is "impossible." Under MbR's proposal, the inspection
unit will be increased to 2000 inspectors.


4. (SBU) On November 5, Econoff, Poloff and GTIP Reports
Coordinator Patel met with Mr. Obeid Al Zahmi, MoL Assistant
U/S and Al Noor, to discuss recent UAEG efforts to address
labor issues. During that meeting, the MOL officials
stressed that recruiting agencies, both in the UAE and in the
source countries, should be more strictly regulated and said
that the UAEG will sign Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with
several of the source countries--specifically naming India
and Pakistan-- to regulate recruiting agencies and to move
towards a standardized labor contract that would be written
in the employee's native language as well as Arabic. MOL
officials also said that the highly anticipated amendments to
the labor law would be vetted by a private UAE company on
November 6, but would not offer any further details.


5. (C) Comment: This is a major public statement by a senior
UAEG official and the first time MbR, in his role as UAE
Vice-President and Prime Minister, has publicly called for
the protection of workers' rights. In previous conversations
with Econoffs, MOL U/S Khalid Al-Khazraji has specifically
urged USG officials to raise the importance of meeting
international labor standards with "UAE political level

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officials," implying that some labor reforms, especially
foreign participation in labor unions have not passed due to
a lack of "buy-in" by the higher-ups of the UAEG. Hopefully,
MbR's public support for protecting workers' rights will give
added impetus to improving the conditions of the UAE's large
expatriate labor force. End comment.
SISON