UAE to open labour offices in India

Dubai, Oct 23 (UNI) The UAE will open labour offices in India to recruit workers, ending the role of recruitment agencies, it was officially announced.

These offices will also educate the workers about the labour laws and customs of the UAE before they embark on the journey, the UAE Minister of Labour Dr Ali bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi said in Abu Dhabi after meeting visiting Indian Minister for Overseas Affairs Vayalar Ravi. UAE will also open an office in Manila, the Philippines.

The ministers discussed implementation of the memoranda of understanding signed with these countries on labour issues.

Dr Al Ka'abi said he discussed a host of important issues including labour contracts and labour strikes for salary increase with Mr Ravi. He also apprised them of the administrative measures taken by the ministry to deport those who provoked the strikes.

Workers have no right to stage strikes for salary increase once they have signed the labour contracts, he stated. The definite term contract and the possibility of transfer of sponsorship after the expiry of the contract and demand for salary increment also figured at the discussions.

Mr Ravi said the three-month amnesty period granted by the UAE government had helped a large number of illegal workers to regularise their status.

He said around 50,000 Indian workers availed of the recent three month amnesty to legalise their stay. Strict penalties including fines and ban have been announced to rein in unscrupulous recruitment agencies and owners of such firms will be banned from opening any business in the country.

The UAE and India have agreed to get rid of recruitment agencies by opening labour offices in India, he said. He called on the UAE to extend the labour laws on the domestic helpers also.

The minister apprised the Indian minister about the proposed ceiling on the stay of unskilled labours in the country at six years which will be considered by the GCC labour ministers in Riyadh next month.

He praised India for the steps taken against unscrupulous recruitment agencies. These would contribute to the protection of workers's rights, he added.

UNI