BY FAZEENA SALEEM
DOHA: Having permitted a rare protest march for workers’ rights here yesterday, Qatar has hinted it might give foreign workers the right to join trade union.
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) which organised the historic protest said that from next month it will start working to help labourers in Doha to form trade unions.
An official from the world’s largest trade unions’ federation told The Peninsula on the sidelines of the march that they have discussed the trade union issue with the labour minister and will start working on it from next month.
“We met the labour minister and he did tell us that if we make union, workers joining it will not be punished,” said Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary.
ITUC members were participating in a government-approved rally demanding action to combat climate change.
“We are going to work on it, we will be back next month, we will help workers to have their own voice,” she further said.
ITUC activists marched along a stretch of the Corniche carrying placards ‘Qatar Do the Right Thing: No world Cup without Workers’ Rights,’ while chanting slogans “Climate Justice, Workers Justice Now,” waving at the workers on construction sites along the Corniche. The International Trade Union Confederation also met international football organistaion —FIFA— last month and the local committee on Thursday.
“We see no labour rights here. We will make sure workers rights meet ILO standards,” said Burrow.
She said if labour rights and their safety is not assured, “More laborers will die building stadiums than the number of players who play for the FIFA World Cup.” ITUC members have visited labour camps in the country to find out the conditions under which occupants live there. They have launched a campaign to tell Qatar “Do the right thing for workers.”
According to statistics given by the International Trade Union Confederation, 1.2 million workers in Qatar are prohibited from joining a trade union by law, nearly 200 Nepali workers die every year in the country and hundreds of other migrant workers from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh are also killed or injured in Qatar every year. The International Trade Union Confederation was formed on November 1, 2006, out of the merger of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labour (WCL).
The Founding Congress of the ITUC was held in Vienna and was preceded by the dissolution congresses of both the ICFTU and the WCL. The ITUC represents 175 million workers through its 311 affiliate organisations in 155 countries and territories.
The Peninsula
