Global Competitiveness Report: Ghobash stresses Ministry's commitment to lifting productivity in Labour Market

ABU DHABI (WAM): Saqr Ghobash, U.A.E. Minister of Labour, has stressed the Ministry's commitment to reach greater stability and lift the level of productivity in the labour market through applying a number of initiatives to achieve its strategic goals and plans of the Federal Government. He said that efficiency of the market will be increased for achieving U.A.E.’s vision 2021 by moving to a knowledge based economy with U.A.E. citizens at its core. The Minister said this in a recent statement made after notification that the U.A.E. has become the eighth most efficient labour market in the Global Competitiveness Report issued by the World Economic Forum, Davos, 2014 - 2015, and for achieving high ranks according to international indicators, achieving 3rd place in maintaining skilled talents. Ghobash said, "This global achievement came as a result of the perfect roles and strategic plans integration between the Ministry of Labour and its partners from other government sectors and the private sector as well, all built on the right standards which in turn were built on laws regulating labour relations that primarily protect the rights of workers and ensure keeping the interests of the employer, and that embodies the vision and directives of the country’s leadership which urges all sectors to work hard and achieve cooperation between various sectors to pursue excellence globally." The Ministry of Labour will continue to develop labour market policies with proper implementation of the strategic plan developed to enhance the participation of U.A.E. citizens in the private sector, achieve flexibility, attract great talent, raise productivity levels and reach stability alongside contributing to building an effective nation with an enhanced reputation and prestige within international forums. According to the Global Competitiveness Report, the country has made it through sub-indicators from the efficiency index of the labour market to third place globally in terms of attracting talent and sixth place for the ability to retain this talent, something which confirms the efficiency of the system followed alongside the laws and policies launched by the country which aim to provide a suitable work environment attractive enough for jobseekers in various sectors with diverse job opportunities created in a well-organised market. Labour mobility was applied by the Ministry of Labour in 2011, which granted new work permits to workers after ending their relationship with previous employers, easing their move to a new facility, which definitely meet the requirements of the private sector in terms of providing employers with experienced and highly productive workers, so as to contribute to the efforts of the competitiveness and shift towards a knowledge-based economy. "Labour mobility occurs by first, ending the working relationship between the worker and the employer through an agreement, and second, spending at least two years with the current employer before moving to a new job," Ghobash said. He also pointed out that there are some exemptions with regards to the previous statement, as the first condition is dropped in case employers don’t fulfil their labour contracts with workers, the second condition is exempted only for workers in the first skills category with a contract of no less than Dh12,000 monthly, in the second category not less than Dh7,000 and for the third category they must be paid not less than Dh5,000. To ease labour mobility in the U.A.E. private sector, the ministry kept in mind the necessity to adopt new systems such as the ability of issuing internal work permits, temporary permits and family sponsorship permits, in addition to a minors permit, which is subject to strict conditions. Ghobash ended his statement by saying that the Ministry of Labour implements many policies, programmes and initiatives that contribute actively towards stabilising the working relationship and cooperation between both the labourers and employers, plus increase the efficiency of the U.A.E. labour market through the application of international standards in labour housing and occupational health and safety in cooperation and coordination with key partners. The ministry also follows transparent procedures that settle labour disputes and other programmes to educate and guide both parties in their rights and obligations towards each other, and other initiatives. – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395270009016.html