Breaking the tight grip on migrant workers of recruiting agencies and recruiting countries, trade unions from Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait have signed an agreement with Sri Lankan counterparts for the welfare of migrant workers. The new agreement grants all internationally recognized labor rights to Sri Lankan workers, with unions in receiving countries ensuring implementation.
“This landmark deal will be followed by unions in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines, which have large populations of workers in the Middle East,” trade union leaders said.
Trade union leaders said the agreement was based on a model developed under the aegis of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and its Bureau for Workers’ Activities. “The Colombo ILO office had been instrumental in the initial draft, and this is the first of its kind covering Asian migrant workers in Arab states,” they said.
The new agreement paved the way for the unions to step in and help migrant workers in terms of disputes over wages, harassment and other issues. Sri Lankan migrant workers, particularly domestics who account for more than 60% of the total, contribute millions of dollars to the country’s foreign exchange reserves through monthly remittances. “Even though these migrant workers are often hailed by officials as saviours of the economy, they pay little attention to migrant workers when they are in trouble. They face all forms of harassment in the countries where they work. And, now, as result of the global financial crisis, they also face the threat of job losses,” they said.
Courtesy: Government Information Department
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