UAE Labor Law and Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

UAE Labor Law and Relations - Essay Example center of a far-reaching controversy with the government and private employers being accused of exploiting underpaying and generally mistreating workers (Kanna 147). The Industry in question in most cases is the construction industry; it is worth noting that in the UAE, there are over 500,000 foreign workers who are tasked with the construction of the world famous skyscrapers and breathtaking architectural wonders that have turned cities like Dubai into Meccas of building engineering (Shaoul). The immigrant workers make up to 95% of the labor on the building sites may of them from East Asia, India, the Philippines and North Africa. Controversy has riddled the industry since it has been frequently claimed that employees are forced to work under inhuman conditions that border slavery (Forstenlechner, Madi, Selim and Rutledge 412). The immigrant laborious are often forced to pay back their travelling expenses at incredibly high interests rates and their passports taken away on arrival s o they cannot leave or look for a different job. Ironically, on paper, the labor laws are relatively progressive on paper and they protect all workers local or immigrant from being exploited or abused by their employers. Nevertheless, this is rarely implemented and in most cases, even when the governments may force employers to restitute or compensate employees for damages and/or loss of life there are very few cases of employers having legal action taken against them irrespective of the gravity of their crimes to the staff. It is estimated that over 800 hired workers die on the job for a variety of reasons ranging from exhaustion, sunstroke, suicide and myriad more courses. In as far as compensation is concerned; the employee is entitled to a basic wage which according to the law is the total sum monies paid as stipulated in the labor contract not inclusive of allowances for accommodation or travel. Their total wage on the other hand is the amount paid when they have been provided