Post by dracon on May 24, 2009 8:42:48 GMT 4
Around two-thirds of construction workers in the UAE are unhappy with their salaries, but feel their situation is better than it was before they came to work in the country, according to a government-backed survey, as it looks to defend itself against a barrage of international criticism over the treatment of labourers.
The survey by U.S. pollster Zogby International, commissioned by the Ministry of Labour, found half of the 752 workers surveyed were also unhappy with their living conditions, although 88 percent held a favourable opinion of the UAE and 69 percent were happy with their jobs.
Of the 57 percent who said they were looking to change jobs, almost all said they wanted to stay in the UAE, according to the survey, the results of which were carried by state news agency WAM on Wednesday.
The of migrant labourers in the UAE has come under the spotlight in recent months following a BBC documentary alleging construction companies in Dubai were violating labourers’ human rights.
The issue has been a concern for rights groups and Western governments for some years, but that concern has escalated of late.
Human Rights Watch on Tuesday published a report into the treatment of workers on Abu Dhabi’s $27 billion Saadiyat Island development, claiming they face "severe exploitation and abuse" despite government measures to protect workers’ rights.
The report highlighted the levying of unlawful recruitment fees, broken promises of wages, poor quality healthcare, passport confiscation and companies threatening workers who spoke out.
Both the Abu Dhabi-owned Tourism Development and Investment Co (TDIC), which is overseeing the project, and the UAE government criticised the report for not taking into account progress the country has made.
The UAE has introduced a raft of measures aiming to improve labourers' quality of life in recent years, but there remain lingering doubts as to how strictly these measures are being enforced.
Although the majority of workers are unhappy with their pay and living conditions, the survey found 81 percent were happy with their working conditions, 70 percent were happy with the promptness of payment and 64 percent with health services.
A key criticism of rights groups is the recruitment process, with both recruiters in labour exporting countries and employers in the UAE coming under fire for deceiving workers over how much they will earn.
The UAE has laid much of the blame for rights abuses at the feet of recruitment agencies that lure workers to the UAE under false pretences. Officials have called for these agencies to be dealt with as human traffickers.
Just over 40 percent of those surveyed rated recruiters’ honesty as acceptable, but 63 percent rated the quality of the information provided by the recruiter as good and 80 percent said their job was the same or very similar to the one described to them when they were hired.
The survey by U.S. pollster Zogby International, commissioned by the Ministry of Labour, found half of the 752 workers surveyed were also unhappy with their living conditions, although 88 percent held a favourable opinion of the UAE and 69 percent were happy with their jobs.
Of the 57 percent who said they were looking to change jobs, almost all said they wanted to stay in the UAE, according to the survey, the results of which were carried by state news agency WAM on Wednesday.
The of migrant labourers in the UAE has come under the spotlight in recent months following a BBC documentary alleging construction companies in Dubai were violating labourers’ human rights.
The issue has been a concern for rights groups and Western governments for some years, but that concern has escalated of late.
Human Rights Watch on Tuesday published a report into the treatment of workers on Abu Dhabi’s $27 billion Saadiyat Island development, claiming they face "severe exploitation and abuse" despite government measures to protect workers’ rights.
The report highlighted the levying of unlawful recruitment fees, broken promises of wages, poor quality healthcare, passport confiscation and companies threatening workers who spoke out.
Both the Abu Dhabi-owned Tourism Development and Investment Co (TDIC), which is overseeing the project, and the UAE government criticised the report for not taking into account progress the country has made.
The UAE has introduced a raft of measures aiming to improve labourers' quality of life in recent years, but there remain lingering doubts as to how strictly these measures are being enforced.
Although the majority of workers are unhappy with their pay and living conditions, the survey found 81 percent were happy with their working conditions, 70 percent were happy with the promptness of payment and 64 percent with health services.
A key criticism of rights groups is the recruitment process, with both recruiters in labour exporting countries and employers in the UAE coming under fire for deceiving workers over how much they will earn.
The UAE has laid much of the blame for rights abuses at the feet of recruitment agencies that lure workers to the UAE under false pretences. Officials have called for these agencies to be dealt with as human traffickers.
Just over 40 percent of those surveyed rated recruiters’ honesty as acceptable, but 63 percent rated the quality of the information provided by the recruiter as good and 80 percent said their job was the same or very similar to the one described to them when they were hired.