Migrant workers in Qatar go without pay
From Al Jazeera English : Rich oil and gas reserves have insulated Qatar from many of the problems of the global financial crisis.
But despite economic growth forecasts of nine per cent, there are still difficulties, especially in the construction industry which is suffering due to the lack of business being done elsewhere.
Al Jazeera's Casey Kauffman reports on the migrant workers who are at the sharp end of the downturn.
It will happen, I'm sure.
Salam
I pray they would get their salary
There’re other inherent issues in the gulf that are still blacked out or kept under wraps. At least Qatar is now coming out and allowing its media, including its local Arabic press, to criticize and shed light on long forgotten or taken-for-granted issues.
Media pressure is not to be taken lightly, but transition requires sponsors and time. Whether there is willingness or not, the only constant factor in life is change, the rally should be behind swift and just change, even if gradual.
Saudi pressured Egypt, last year, to sponsor and ratify a Media Control Charter, to guarantee a good image at all times. Aljazeera of Qatar slammed the Charter and so did the free press watchdog.
One of the few times I agree on anything with the Aljazeera.
Salam
are affected by the economic crunch
LIVING IN QATAR
3 months without pay IN HIGH COST LIVING IN QATAR can drive someone to do criminal act. LEt the Police catch the real criminal not the laborer
The problem is real : I was outside QNB bank in downtown waiting for a ride and a ragged looking laborer walked up and asked for 1 QR.
I asked him why he was not working: He replied he was working but no pay for 3 months and needs to eat. I have him some and watched him for a bit: poor guy looked totally bummed out.
What to do...is it not illegal to not pay your workers here?
LIVING IN QATAR
wITH THE HIGH COST OF LIVING HERE in Qatar, can you imagine if you did not receive your salaryfor 6 months or a year!!!!!!
UAE may rue its exodus of expatriates
By Robin Wigglesworth
Published: March 23 2009 17:05 | Last updated: March 23 2009 17:05
In the United Arab Emirates, a deluge of foreign professionals has underpinned rapid economic growth. But as job cuts mount, analysts warn that the federation’s open and flexible labour market could backfire.
A swathe of job losses in real estate, financial services and tourism is leading to an exodus. The UAE’s labour and immigration laws allow for easy corporate cuts, but force expatriates who lose their jobs to find new employment within a month – or leave.
This has turned unemployment into emigration, and economists say the population of the UAE – one of the most lopsided and expatriate-driven economies in the world – could decline over the next two years. . .
The UAE has quickly passed regulation to prevent private-sector companies firing local workers due to “economic conditions” but has yet to extend the visa grace period for expatriates to allow them to search for new jobs despite several officials saying they are looking into ways to halt emigration.
Different source, same story. No bias Qatari.
Heero_yuy2 - This is what I found on a quick search. I am it is the same here too, or will be. Maybe not in the same numbers, but no country that is plugged into the global economy is immune to the current state of affairs.
Follow link for whole story:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/238b3d84-17ca-11de-8c9d-0000779fd2ac.html
A fool and his money are soon parted.
-Thomas Tusser
Britexpat, the embassies are having a hard time raising these issues as well.
If the embassies will fully support their people, the government may give them tons of headaches, or worst, order to limit or totally stop recruiting people from those countries.
The only thing I know is that the embassies take refuge of their maltreated citizens. Not much of a big help actually.
I'm waiting for a CNN 'full report' on such problems in Qatar. It would've been much much better over in that international news channel.
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
I just find countries reaction fascinating - take the Big Brother Jade goody - shipla shetty racism row people in the streets were rioting, even prime ministers were talking about it. Yet here we have a very serious problem and its not getting anywhere but the same attention.
Great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ. (English Proverb)
To the people who don't believe in free speech - stop posting ;)
Some countries published and denounced the maltreatment of their citizen workers in the Gulf. The decision was to reduce the flock of their people to the Gulf.
I cannot remember which countries were these (Indonesia and the Philippines?), and if any action was taken.
Salam
AlJazeera hides no truth....
keep going AlJazeera.
~noms~
"Before God we are all equally wise ' and equally foolish" - Albert Einstein
Great journalism but be carefull. Don't rock the boat, specially when you're in it.
It is mad though that people keep coming to GCC in spite of the conditions etc, on construction sites people have mobiles, and call/sms back home, after about a year or two people back home should have been well aware of the reality. I can only assume there is a lot of saving of face involved and people not telling their families what it is really like. would i be right in thinking if in India/Pakistan/Bangladesh newspapers they showed the treatment of their people they would be very angry?
Great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ. (English Proverb)
To the people who don't believe in free speech - stop posting ;)
LIVING IN QATAR
I think if you still a Laptop with your right hand, your right hand will be cut, what if you still a workers salary for 6 months to 1 year, what will thet cut?
Now that's just such a silly comment. I'm watching the video right now.
Quick to jump to confirm your bias huh?
You can't teach experience...
Many workers and employees are lured to Qatar by lies and deceit. In many cases I have seen many people abused in this way by their own nationalities. It is sad because many of the people being abused sacrifice so much to support their families. Many from Doha have ended up going to Saudi Arabia. When I asked them if their situation is better, they reply yes because at least they get paid and the cost of living is less. They say they are much happier there with much less abuse from the locals and their bosses.
Vid no longer available. . . Hmmm. . . Goes along w/ Tallg's Freedom of Press thread.
I caught a teaser from CNN or BBC about how in the UAE many expats are being let go but businesses are being told they must keep the locals on payrolls.
A fool and his money are soon parted.
-Thomas Tusser
sponsors have all the luxuries in life - spend their money in travelling, driving expensive cars but then when the time of paying the salary of their workies, no funds...
i believe that the authorities are more concern with the investors (employer as well as local sponsors) other than the people working to earn money for the company... coz if they acted on this issue, we would not hear this kind of problem anymore. sad to say, goverment authorities do nothing to solve this.
MyHotComments
The embassies of the "migrant workers" need to take a bigger role in all this.. They should help their citizens in such cases.
the Government/authority must address this issue. The government is paid direct/indirect to ensure those residing here are secured, protected lawfully. I love so many good things happening in this part of the world but honestly saying I hate even to read/see/watch this type of news.... really shameful.
Let's hope, someone from the authority will catch the concerned and assist these innocent people.
the real people who earn money for the company are not paid...
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YOU DONT KNOW ME, DONT EVEN TRY !!!
Expolitation of the poor. This happens all over the world. However, in the Gulf, it seems to be more pronounced and readily accpeted.
I cannot believe for the life of me, that people who work round the clock in very harsh and unbearable weather conditions are not paid their meagre wages and still be be treated like this?! As less humans?! This is the height of INJUSTICE and what makes matters worse is the fact that the Labourers cannot collectively voice out their grievance, no voice, no union!!!!
Is there a reason why they should be treated this way? Aren't they human beings like every other man driving fast cars and spending thousands of Riyals in one night?
The earlier the media exposes this INJUSTICE, the better the whole world knows that there is a modernized version of slavery..... ----! World's richest country!
More grease to the elbow of Al Jazeera Media and the great reporter! Thank you!!!
No wonder d ppl who r poor are still slaves who says slavery ended long back.The only thing i suppose i can do is pray 4 such kind of ppl i hope dey do get dere pays.good job al jazeera channel.
once the authorities go after the managers and their sponsors, these kind of things will stop. They have money to tour the world, organize big functions and drive luxury cars and what not. But when it is time to pay their workers fees sadly they dont have any money.
check out some of the companies in the industrial area.... some of them still haven't got their pay since november 2008! imagine this crap! media people who wish to cover this inhumane act of others, PM me and i'll tell you where....
LIVING IN QATAR
the code imageis not working
LIVING IN QATAR
the code imageis not working
LIVING IN QATAR
how can i post a photo , i found some photos of this sad scenario here in Qatar
yup, bravo Al Jazeera!
kadaut...
Bravo Al Jazeera---perhaps now, because of Al Jazeera's credibility here in this region, these laborers can get paid.
These companies need to stop "passing the buck" so that these people can receive their hard earned money.
Do the right thing. This is beyond pitiful. It is criminal.
thier living condition in 2002-2008 was never rosy. These greed monsters should know there is expiry date for blaming game
Wake up Qatar! Stop the abuse
Personally when I went through financial hard times with my company, I still insisted on paying my employees their salaries in full. Maybe not in time - as they always say it is ok - but I try too hard not to delay it too long. I feel for their responsibilities, so I priorities them over anything else.
But these large companies have no excuse. These people have families to support back home. I hope one day all this is resolved - soon. And I wish there was more that I can do to help and make a difference.
This is one of the reasons why the construction productivity is very poor.
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KEEP MOVING!!!
It is a shame for Qatar! It is unethical! It is illegal in every civilized country! It is not even complying with the Qur'an. Shame, shame, shame!
The plight of workers not being paid is something we're all to aware of and not at all surprising any more. What is surprising is that Al Jazeera are reporting it.
Qatar image is very good as far the outside world is concern, there are no lay offs and jobs are plenty accourding to one of the tv news in our country.
But its far petch on the reality in the fast months lots of jobs has been lost in the Banking, Manufacturing and other sector. Thousands are comming here with high hopes that their lives will change for the better.
Lets just pray that the economy will get better.
is really by LUCK! Justice, don't even think about it! Hope they will learn the meaning of it soonest!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
This happens due to the NOC to change sponsorship...
If there was no 'NOC' thing and if a guy doesnt get paid for one month & he knows the employers intention then he would easily join with another company and earn his living.
The good companies would prosper and the bad companies who are badly managed & have no professionalism will not be able to survive in Qatar. These are the very companies who cut corners while doing their work here, mostly in the private sector.
This goes on all ofver the Gulf. The workers at the bottom of the food chain have little recourse. To not pay them is, of course, illegal, but the State will not act against the companies in a timely manner. There is little the workers can do, even if they never get paid. People go to prison here all the time for not paying their debts. When do we ever here of a company owner or official going to prison for not paying their workers (although the crime here is greater).
I am pleasantly surprised to see this on AJI. Al Jazeera, which generally does a good job of investigative reporting everywhere else in the region, rarely show the darker side of Qatar. Kudos to AJI for having the guts to show this.
This excuse is all too easy to make. The workers should and must be paid.. In addition the "managers" should be prosecuted..
how very irritating to listen to the company's excuse.
it does NOT matter if they have been paid by their subcontractor or not. they owe the salary at the end of the month. it is none of the worker's business who is paying on time, or not - the employer is responsible for paying in a timely fashion each month. they can raise credit from the bank, or do whatever necessary.
except of course, they can actually do whatever they want and to he ll with anyone else.
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"let's slip out of these wet clothes and into a dry martini" Mae West
Happy Happy, Ameen to that, ya ukhti!
Mandi
there are always people who take a chance as it is better.
________________________________________
All you see is a persons idea of the truth.
Even though this issue has been raised, by the media, several hundred times, but this is maybe the only pressing exposure, that will force this kind of aching slavery to an end. I hope I live to see it buried soon, once and for all!
Mind you, the world is suffering from enslaving in other shapes and forms.
Salam
THANK YOU, Al Jazeera! I firmly and fervently believe that this is the way to bring about justice in these situations.
Mandi
this is the dark side of the story
no fancy cars,no high class clothes no malls no hotel just hard work and no money
Ugly reality, cannot accept it, but have to put it up with it, until the issue is addressed from the roots.
No excuse for injustice and cruelty. I wish I didn't watch the video.
Salam