ILO POSITIVE ABOUT PROGRESS ON LABOR UNIONS AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000759

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA, DRL AND G/TIP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2018
TAGS: PREL ELAB KTIP MU
SUBJECT: ILO POSITIVE ABOUT PROGRESS ON LABOR UNIONS AND
ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN OMAN

REF: MUSCAT 625

Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for reasons 1.4 (b/d)


1. (C) Summary: According to International Labor
Organization (ILO) representatives conducting training in
Oman, the new Minister of Manpower is solidly behind efforts
against Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and is in support of
labor unions. As part of the ILO labor inspector training,
Omanis are specifically being taught to identify victims of
TIP. The reps were effusive in their praise of Oman's
efforts to address TIP and to improve the conditions for
workers in the country, especially in comparison to Oman's
Gulf neighbors. ILO contacts further report that the
long-postponed conference of the General Federation of
Workers, that will elect national union leadership for Oman,
is scheduled for January 27-28, 2009. End Summary.


2. (C) In an October 18 meeting and follow-up phone call, ILO
representatives Wael Issa and Khawla Mattar told poloff that
they were very encouraged by Oman's work in both the area of
labor rights and TIP. During their two-day visit to Oman,
they met with representatives from labor, business and the
government, including the new Minister of Manpower, Shaikh
Abdullah Al-Bakri.

Trafficking in Persons
--------------


3. (C) Mattar stated that during her last training visit to
Oman in August, she had remained an extra day at the request
of the previous Manpower Minister to conduct anti-TIP
training for the heads of all units at his Ministry (reftel).
She confirmed that the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) asked the
ILO to do additional anti-TIP training for Omani judges and
the Royal Oman Police (ROP) in the future. However, Mattar
said that the ILO would be unable to provide further anti-TIP
training out of its current grant, and will accordingly look
for additional sources of funding to cover this request.
(Note: The Dutch Ambassador to Oman has told us that he has
money to spend on a human rights related issue; post will
attempt to steer him to the ILO. End Note.)


4. (C) Mattar and Issa further explained the type of anti-TIP
training they conducted during the ILO's on-going
program for new Omani labor inspectors. This training
included teaching inspectors to identify possible trafficking
victims at each work place inspected using a process that
incorporates reviewing bank reports and salary slips and
speaking privately with individual workers. The MoM has
requested additional anti-TIP training for the inspectors to
reinforce and follow-up on this instruction. The MoM is also
considering conducting joint labor inspections with the ROP
in order to facilitate action against labor law violations.


5. (C) The ILO reps were very positive about Oman's
commitment to further combat trafficking. Both noted
that compared to other countries in the region, such as
Qatar, UAE and Bahrain, the Omanis genuinely want to improve
the situation for workers in Oman, not just put on "window
dressing to fool the international community." They commented
that sometimes the Omanis move more slowly than their
neighbors because they want to make sure that the laws and
processes they create can actually be implemented effectively
and have an impact on the problem.

Labor Unions
--------------


6. (C) Mattar said that the new dates for the national
conference of the General Federation of Workers of the
Sultanate of Oman (General Federation) that will elect its
new leadership are January 27-28, 2009. Although these dates
have repeatedly slipped (the last proposed time frame was the
end of October),both Mattar and Issa thought that this time
the conference and election would actually happen as
scheduled. They noted that this is the first occasion that
specific dates have been proposed, and that the overall
structure for planning the conference is much farther along
than in the past. Mattar said that the Omanis are meeting in
committees to work on conference-related issues, sometimes
until 8:00 in the evening. (Note: The workday usually ends
at 2 or 3 pm for government employees in Oman. End Note.)
They further remarked that the Omanis were motivated to
conlude the election before the Arab Labor Conference in
February 2009.


7. (C) According to Mattar, the General Federation currently

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occupies rented premises and has very limited financial
resources. In response to a letter to Sultan Qaboos from the
Ministry of Manpower highlighting the need for assistance for
the national workers' group, the Sultan donated both land and
money. Mattar and Issa reported that the General Federation
plans to build a rental facility on the land in an effort to
become financially self-sustaining.


8. (C) Mattar and Issa described their meeting with the new
Minister of Manpower as very positive. They said
that al-Bakri appeared committed to continuing to move
forward on labor issues as quickly as possible. Employer
groups, on the other hand, were still the most hesitant part
of the tripartite labor relationship. The ILO intended to
continue to work with employers to encourage them to view
unions and discussions with them as the "high road" to
competitiveness and productivity. Mattar and Issa encouraged
the Embassy to remain engaged with the local business
community on the topic of unions to help change anti-union
attitudes.


9. (C) The ILO has no more programming scheduled in Oman
until after the General Federation conference in February.
Mattar stated that the Norwegians may have funds to promote
labor programs and training in Oman and suggested that
potential donors sit down together to create an overall plan
as the Omanis "can only handle so much". The ILO
representatives claimed that Oman was receiving pressure from
other Gulf countries to slow down its labor reforms.
According to Mattar, these countries were concerned that
Oman's progress would reflect negatively on their own
progress (or lack thereof).


10. (C) Comment. The news from the ILO on the continued
strong interest of the Government of Oman to address TIP
issues is encouraging and correlates with other information
we have received. While the seemingly firm dates for the
General Federation conference is also a positive development,
particularly as the elections will pave the way for the
Solidarity Center to begin MEPI-funded programming in Oman,
post remains wary given past postponements. End Comment.
GRAPPO