New labour law will change relationship between workers and companies, says minister

HE the Minister for Administrative Development and Labour and Social Affairs Dr Issa Saad Al Juffali Al Nuaimi said that he was optimistic about the labour law, which is set to be put in place later this year.

“The new labour law will come into effect later this year,” he said, while addressing a consultative meeting with business owners and representatives of private sector companies held at the Qatar Chamber’s headquarters on Monday.

The new labour law, he added, “will change the relationship between the worker and the company,” referring to the abolishment of the kafala (sponsorship) system.

“Qatar is keen on developing legislative and legal infrastructure in line with the conventions and treaties signed by Qatar, and to achieve ease of doing business. The leadership of this country places great importance on the implementation of all security and safety standards for foreign workers,” he said.

The Minister was addressing a meeting attended by Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani and other QC officials.

Seven months since the implementation of a new salary payment scheme, as many as 1.5m of the 1.7m labourers in Qatar are now receiving their salaries under the state’s Wage Protection System (WPS), said the minister.

The WPS was implemented on November 2 last year, based on amendments to Labour Law No 14 of 2004. The new salary payment scheme requires companies to transfer salaries electronically to employees’ bank accounts.

Al Nuaimi attributed the “successful implementation” of the WPS to the “great strides” taken by companies to comply with the new salary payment system, in co-operation with “relevant agencies.”

During the meeting, participants raised their concerns before the Minister, including issues on employment contracts, housing requirements, change of sponsorship, and cases of absconding workers, among others.

The employers also called on the Ministry for the establishment of a “labour court” that will handle and decide on various labour and employment issues. They also raised the issue on delays, suspension or rejection, and lengthy procedures in the granting of visas to workers.

Courtesy: gulf-times.com