International Labor Organization Reveals Major Positive Shift in Qatar's Labor Environment

Doha, November 01 (QNA) - A report of the International Labor Organization, November 2022, revealed the great shift that the Qatari Labor market witnessed during the past few years, after the entry into force of the legislation approved by the Qatari government to reform the labor sector. The report, issued by ILO office in Qatar today, Tuesday, confirms that the Qatari government is implementing reforms, and that the Qatari Ministry of Labor is keen on perpetuating labor legislative reforms and continuing the partnership with ILO beyond the 2022 World Cup, through continuous cooperation programs in the field of developing and modernizing reforms and legislation with various international organizations. The annual progress report covered the period from November 2021 to October 2022 and sorted out the progress made in the priorities of the organization's program, based on its four pillars, the Labor market and Labor migration management, Labor law enforcement and access to justice, workers' voice and social dialogue, international cooperation and exchange of experiences. ILO report reflected a clear picture of the most important legislative reforms and achievements that took place in the State of Qatar. It also showed the process of implementing the laws and decisions of the Ministry of Labor. Supported by accurate statistics in many areas, the most important of which is the right of workers to change their jobs, inspection campaigns conducted by MoL, oversight of the application of the wage protection system, the positive impact of legislative reforms on the lives of workers, and others. The ILO report focused on the strong partnership between the Ministry of Labor and ILO and the role of the ILO office in Doha, which is the first in the region, and the leading role it plays in this field. It also highlighted the partnerships that bring together the Ministry of Labor and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, with many specialized international organizations. The report presented the field visits made by many federations and international trade unions, such as The African Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), The International Trade Union Confederation - Asia Pacific (ITUC-Asia Pacific), non-governmental organizations and trade unions from Labor-exporting countries. During these visits, memoranda of cooperation and partnership were signed between the MoL and these organizations where delegations were received from ITUC-Africa (11 members) and ITUC-Asia Pacific (10 members) in Qatar. The visiting delegations represented a mixture of national, sectoral and sub-regional trade unions. where they met with government officials, labor and management representatives, and community liaison officers from; they visited shared accommodation, government offices and Red Crescent clinics. Press releases were issued by ITUC Africa and ITUC-AP following the visits. According to the ILO report, 86 percent of workers confirmed that the reforms had a positive impact on their lives, according to a survey commissioned in May and June 2022, among 1,036 low-paid workers residing in shared accommodation sites, and the workers were of multiple nationalities. They work in various economic sectors, and another survey conducted by ILO stated that 98 percent of respondents received their wages on time. The Technical Cooperation Program helped enhance the participation between the Ministry of Labor and civil society organizations in a constructive dialogue and held a series of online meetings between MoL and the Migrants Forum in Asia (a coalition of civil society organizations from across Asia), a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in October 2022 to promote cooperation in the areas of awareness-raising and training in 2023. The report drew attention to the regular dialogues conducted by the ILO office in Doha, with companies to discuss the status of reforms, risks related to their operations, and measures that can be taken to mitigate these risks. A round table was held with MoL, Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ILO and representatives from the international business community, to discuss labor reforms. The roundtable provided a platform to discuss what support international companies may need to comply with the new legislation, and how companies can also comply with the laws, including recruitment fees. A brochure is being prepared documenting several interventions introduced in the hospitality sector in recent years, by MoL, SC, ILO and others - including Labor committees supporting labor management. The signing of memoranda of understanding with Singapore (on domestic work, accommodation and fair employment) and with Belgium (on Labor inspection) is under discussion. Cooperation with Germany is also planned. In addition to ongoing meetings with embassies and diplomatic delegations in Doha, the ILO has also given briefings to senior officials and parliamentarians from several countries, including Austria, Belgium, the European Union, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. The ILO report praised the experience of dialogue and cooperation during the preparation of the World Cup between the ILO, FIFA and football federations. This included providing briefings on the status of Labour reforms, as well as providing support to football federations, and the ILO encouraged support for international football federations and sponsors to support the joint Labour committees. The report indicated that the training courses that were carried out in cooperation between MoL and ILO, to improve the capabilities of workers, especially the hospitality and hotel sector. According to the report, MoL is developing a user guide for workers related to Labor mobility legislation in 12 languages, as these materials have been distributed through ILO social media platforms, community liaison officers, labor attaches, and community groups, including workers' community groups. Domestic Workers and Employment Agencies. The Labor re-employment platform at the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in coordination with the Ministry of Labor, is facilitating the transfer of Labor. According to ILO report, 86 percent of workers confirmed that the reforms had a positive impact on their lives, according to a survey conducted in May and June 2022, among 1,036 low-paid workers residing in shared accommodation sites, and the workers were of multiple nationalities and worked in various economic sectors. According to the Wages Protection Law, the Qatari authorities monitor the salaries and allowances paid to workers, and discover violations, which reduces wage disputes and relieves some of the workload on labour dispute settlement committees. There are 67,128 companies registered in the wage protection system until August 2022, and 98 percent of respondents, according to survey, reported that they received their wages on time, while 89 percent received their salaries through the bank. The report pointed out that more than 280,000 workers, or approximately 13 percent of the total workforce in the private sector, witnessed an increase in their basic wages to the minimum, when the minimum wage law came into force in March 2021. The ILO report pointed to the establishment of a national platform for accident notification, based on the foundations of Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Health Strategy, where data collection, analysis and dissemination remains a top priority, and it is expected to be fully operational by mid-2023. MoL and ILO continued to implement campaigns throughout 2022 to raise awareness about the prevention of occupational injuries among workers and employers as reported by MoL's Labor Inspection Department. The Qatari Ministry of Labor and ILO continue the program to support social dialogue by supporting the establishment of joint committees at the enterprise, public and private sector levels in four priority sectors: transportation, construction, private security and hospitality, where 613 workers now represent more than 40,000 employees in 71 Joint Committee. The report noted that the State of Qatar established UN House to the UN agencies resident in Qatar, which included many UN agencies, and that the State of Qatar will host the Fifth Conference of the Least Developed Countries next year. (QNA)