Rights body asks UAE to end abusive labour practices

[struggle4progress]

Dubai: New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) Wednesday said the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) should take immediate steps to end what it called abusive labour practices that have helped spark recent unrest by migrant workers in Dubai.

The group said in a report that during the past year, migrant workers have increasingly resorted to public protests and strikes in an attempt to improve working conditions.

UAE government figures show that between May and December 2005, at least eight major strikes took place. The latest, in Dubai last week, quickly spread from construction workers who rioted at one skyscraper to others working on a new airport terminal.

"One of the world's largest construction booms is feeding off of workers in Dubai, but they're treated as less than human," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at HRW. <snip>

http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=33607

[sadiesworld]

1. I can only imagine the slobbering that goes on in the halls of power

over the UAE labor model (guest worker programs coming soon to a country near you).

It is rather refreshing to see HRW take their critical eye off Venezuela and Iran long enough to notice the UAE.