Workers killed in airport building collapse
Mon 27 September, 2004 10:55

DUBAI (Reuters) - Several workers have been killed or injured after a building under construction at Dubai airport collapsed, trapping them under the rubble, officials say.

"There has been an accident at one of the construction sites at the airport," said one official, who declined to be named, on Monday.

A hospital official said at least 10 people were being treated for injuries. Rescue teams were searching for more people under the rubble.

Airport officials gave no details about the accident, which occurred at the site for a $4.1 billion (2.3 billion pound) expansion project for Dubai airport, one of the busiest in the Middle East.

Dubai, one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, is a rapidly growing regional trade and tourism hub.

The project includes a new terminal, which when complete, will raise the number of passengers handled by the airport to 46 million a year.

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=591330&section=news

CNN
"Dubai airport terminal collapses"
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/09/27/dubai.airport.collpase/

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- A terminal under construction at Dubai International Airport collapsed Monday, a Dubai Civil Aviation Authority spokesman said.

A number of people are trapped in the rubble and casualties are feared, according to the spokesman.

Caroline Faraj, editor of CNNArabic.com, said there were unconfirmed reports that at least eight people had been killed and another 50 injured.

"Rescue efforts are still taking place," she said.

The building collapsed at 11 a.m. (0700 GMT), The Associated Press quoted construction workers at the airport as saying.

The cause of the collapse was not immediately known.

Faraj said flights in and out of Dubai airport have not been affected by the accident. However, roads leading to the terminal construction site have been closed, she said.

The unoccupied Terminal 3 is part of a $4 billion expansion at the airport.

The airport's Web site says the design consultant for the new terminal is Aeroports de Paris International.

The French company also operates Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, where part of a terminal collapsed in May, killing four people.

An Aeroports de Paris official in Dubai said the firm was not involved in the construction where Monday's accident occurred, AP reported.

"We did the architecture, but we have nothing to do with the construction," the official said.

Dubai airport handles 22 million passengers a year. The expansion, which is scheduled to be completed in 2018, is expect to increase capacity to 60 million passengers a year.

That is so sad, not only for the life lost and ruined but also for Dubai's imagge overrall.

This is the second big tragic incident lately. Some times ago Dubai Dry Docs were flauded and more then 20 ship repair workers drowned.

well deaths on the constuction site are not uncommon
just on this scale it gain attention

Radio reports are saying that 10 have been confirmed dead, 14 are in critical condition and upto 100 people are trapped under the structure!

-Face81

well if its its any think like the beehive of sites we see around dubai then 100 seem possible
not good

The News section @Yahoo.com had a slide show with pictures:

This seams to be the collapsed wall:

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20040927/capt.sge.nbk30.270904134220.photo00.default-384x288.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040927/capt.are10709271321.emirates_airport_are107.jpg

And some other pictures, mostly workers after the accident:

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040927/capt.are10509271253.emirates_airport_are105.jpg
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20040927/i/r387835278.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040927/capt.are10209271253.emirates_airport_are102.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040927/capt.are10309271240.emirates_airport_are103.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040927/capt.are10409271239.emirates_airport_are104.jpg

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20040927/i/r1624846452.jpg

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20040927/i/r1718912816.jpg

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20040927/i/r1048649365.jpg

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20040927/capt.sge.naa72.270904110619.photo00.default-384x255.jpg


:(

I feel very sorry for these people, its wierd, I've never felt so low when people die in Iraq or Palestine or whereever.

This'll probably mean that work on the new airport will halt until they can replace all the old workers because imagine how devastated their morales would be after an incident like this.

yes, very sad indeed, but on the other hand very normal!

with all this construction going on, hundreds of projects, thousands of workers something had to happen.

i just hope this accident didn't occur due to lack of quality!!!!

I somehow don't think the contractors are going to be bothered about worker morale

very sad, but accident happen's everyday....

gulf news today


Versions of swift rescue claim vary

Dubai: Five workers were killed and 12 were injured after a steel mesh wall collapsed at a construction site in Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport yesterday, the Department of Civil Aviation said.

The injured were admitted to Rashid and Baraha hospitals, where doctors said none of them were is in critical condition. Police sources said most of the dead were Indians, but an Indian Consulate source denied this. An official said: “Only one Indian worker has been killed.”

The airport, however, functioned smoothly and no flight delays were recorded.

One of the injured workers, who was admitted to Rashid Hospital, told Gulf News 35 men were working near the wall when the incident occurred at 10:45am.

“There was a loud bang when the steel mesh wall suddenly came down,” he said. “I heard my colleagues screaming as I ran. I saw them trapped under steel.”

A construction foreman, a Westerner, who requested anonymity, said: “We were working at the accident scene when suddenly we heard a loud crushing sound. Before we knew it, the reinforcement steel wall was coming down on us. The sound of the crash mixed with the cries of the workers who were trapped. We could not see anything because a huge cloud of dust filled the place.”

The versions of the workers vary – some said rescue operations started almost an hour later, while others said ambulances, police and Civil Defence arrived in 15 minutes. The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) said rescue operation began immediately. The department’s statement said: “Around 10:45am, during the preparation of a wall, a section of the reinforcement cage fell trapping workers. Emergency personnel responded immediately and rushed to the site.

“Twelve workers were rescued and sent to Rashid and Al Baraha hospitals with injuries while five succumbed in the incident. This is the first major incident to ever occur at Dubai International Airport during construction.” Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Group, said: “It is a tragic situation for all of us at the Department of Civil Aviation. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased workers. We will conduct a full investigation into the accident. We have extremely strict and most professionally controlled quality assurance and quality control systems in place here. We have three independent safety bodies – one controlled by the contractor, one by the consultant and one by the DCA. We would like to reinforce the fact that safety of all our people working at Dubai International Airport is the top priority.”

Word about the incident spread fast, with several people calling Gulf News enquiring about the death toll. Rumours spread, with varying accounts of what happened. The approach to the airport was packed with car as drivers stopped to get a quick glimpse. Construction workers from other sites also made their way towards Terminal 3.

Police moved in quickly to seal the area, and journalists were not allowed access to the site. Getting information about the accident proved a difficult task, with workers providing different accounts and no official willing to comment.

The DCA issued a statement later in the afternoon announcing the death toll and giving a brief description of the incident.

A police source said the rescue operation was called off yesterday evening because all the workers had been accounted for. The source said: “We will revisit the site tomorrow morning to double-check.”

The airport is being expanded at a cost of $4.1 billion. One of the main contractors is Al Naboudah John Laing O’Rourke. Gulf News visited the company’s office, but an official there said a statement would be issued later.

Ambitious expansion project underway

The expansion of the Dubai International Airport is a huge enterprise.
It will include passenger facilities, the cargo terminal, the Dubai Flower Centre, aprons, roads, tunnels and extension of the runways.
Terminal 3, where the accident happened, is a multi-level structure capable of taking in more than ten soccer pitches.
The main structure is underground, beneath the airport apron. Taxiways, once completed, will be barely visible. The design has been done by Aeroports de Paris International.
The terminal will have an underground parking lot for 2,600 cars. The departures and arrival halls within the terminal will be 10 metres beneath the apron.
Information courtesy Dubai International Airport Yearbook

I somehow don't think the contractors are going to be bothered about worker morale
I have to agree with you there
I dont thing them could be very concerd at all about these events
Andam sure people will be back at work right after as they can afford to not be there.

As long as the design of the Airport isn't flawed and won't cause any future structural problems, I can live with it.

My heart goes out to the family members of the victims, They all appear to be labourer's from the subcontinent.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040927/capt.are10409271239.emirates_airport_are104.jpg

does he not look like Hal from the comedy "Married with children" :weirdo:

anyway , this is a sad event , i bet the sheikh is FURIOUS to say the least

4 Pakistanis among dead in Dubai accident

DUBAI, Sept 28: Three Asian labourers who were seriously injured in a deadly wall collapse on a construction site for a state-of-the-art new terminal at Dubai's international airport were still in hospital on Tuesday, police said.

Five workers - four Pakistani nationals and an Indian - were killed and 12 injured when part of a steel mesh wall collapsed on Monday.

"Three Asians who were seriously hurt are still in hospital," the deputy chief of police in Dubai, Jamal Mohammad Khalifa al-Mari, said, adding that most of the other people injured had been released.

The accident occurred on the site of a third terminal for Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest in the Middle East. -AFP

http://www.dawn.com/2004/09/29/nat17.htm

The thing that is really sad, is those workers are going to be sent back to finish the job the next morning, that is if they werent sent back on the same day.

i heard, over 100 dead!

we will never know. It seems like another situation like the dubai docks story where the official figure is not released

Really 100 dead !
Where would you hear that ?
Scary that they wont release the number, but then again why should they
just for our morbid fascination with diasters and numbers ?

100 dead? hope that's not true!

The thing that is really sad, is those workers are going to be sent back to finish the job the next morning, that is if they werent sent back on the same day.

Were you expecting any different? I don't think the contractors give a f*ck about worker morale or anything like that at the moment. Most likely the only thing going through their minds is "oh no our terminal is now delayed!!!" :bash:

this may be true, but i still think that working conditions in india or pakistan are way worse and payment in dubai compared to payment in pakistan for the same work is definitely much higher

Do pakistani and indian nationals get low pay in Dubai still compared to english citizens doing the same work ?

5 killed - 17 injured THAT'S IT !! Safety is highly maintained it was an accident and regardless level of safety measures was accident occurrence will always be there.

Do pakistani and indian nationals get low pay in Dubai still compared to english citizens doing the same work ?

i don't think english, europeans,... do this kind of work in dubai. but europenas doing construction work in their home country get a multiple for this work

Do pakistani and indian nationals get low pay in Dubai still compared to english citizens doing the same work ?

You don't have UK citizens doing construction work, but for most other fields the passport you hold does determine your pay.

For example, two people doing the same work (managers), one is a Pakistani national the other is a UK passport holer, the former might only get Dhs10,000 while the latter would get around Dhs25,000 + rental allowance + school fees and annual tickets.

Not fair but since when was Dubai a politically correct democracy? Also, job vacancy advertisements still regularly ask for "US nationals" only and so on. At the same time, you do get ones asking for Indian nationals from only a certain part of India! In fact for the first time ever I saw the media cover this issue: Gulf News did a long article a few days back about Passport-based discrimination, maybe it might be on their website.
Very weird to get used to at first, I can tell you that.

You don't have UK citizens doing construction work, but for most other fields the passport you hold does determine your pay.

For example, two people doing the same work (managers), one is a Pakistani national the other is a UK passport holer, the former might only get Dhs10,000 while the latter would get around Dhs25,000 + rental allowance + school fees and annual tickets.

Not fair but since when was Dubai a politically correct democracy? Also, job vacancy advertisements still regularly ask for "US nationals" only and so on. At the same time, you do get ones asking for Indian nationals from only a certain part of India! In fact for the first time ever I saw the media cover this issue: Gulf News did a long article a few days back about Passport-based discrimination, maybe it might be on their website.
Very weird to get used to at first, I can tell you that.

Yep, discrimination based upon the passport u hold is still ver much alive and thriving in Dubai. The stories u hear are endless. You need only look at the job descriptions in the classifieds and u will find things like "UK/US" educted only, or more recently, u may find 'AUS/South Africa" educated as well. Pathetic as it may sound, its the truth.

And yes, your salary is more often than not linked to the passport u hold. I found that article Juiced was talking about.

Lets not make a big deal of this on this website, but its just for general knowledge:

Wage woes: Equal work, unequal pay
Dubai | By Samir Salama, Staff Reporter | 25/09/2004 | Print this page


Equal pay for equal work seems to be a myth here - your passport, apparently, holds the key.

S.M. Kumar, an IT engineer, was offered a monthly wage of Dh4,000 while working in his home state of Goa, on the west coast of India. He thought his dream had come true. Dh4,000 meant Rs52,000.

Only when he arrived in the UAE did he realise he had been hoodwinked. His Arab counterpart with the same qualifications, skills and experience was being paid Dh7,000, and his Western colleague still more - Dh10,000.

The comparatively high cost of living, mounting bills and loans back home to be repaid soon took their toll.

Kumar became depressed. He thought he would find succour at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, only to be told that since he had signed the employment contract and accepted what he now regarded as a paltry sum, it was his problem.

"The ministry does not come to an expatriate's aid. However, it would intervene if the salary is unpaid," labour officials told him.

Kumar told them he was desperate. Still, the labour laws could not help him.

"Why should I lose up to Dh72,000 a year to unequal pay policies?" he says.

Srinivas S.M., an Indian accountant, says: "Company owners and general managers are prejudiced against Asians, choosing to hire a worker only if available at a lower wage. Salaries of Asians are 30 to 50 per cent less than those of Arabs, even when performance factors are equal.

"I work for a leading company that has a job description. But value is made on the basis of race and colour, not skills, qualification and experience."

He wonders why labour laws should tolerate such a difference in pay that cannot be explained by objective factors, such as the level of education, the sector of employment and the type of occupation.

"Rules here should provide for equal pay for equal work and guarantee that no discrimination is practised by employers on the basis of race, colour or sex."

Dr Mohammad Abdullah Al Rokn, a senior manager at the International Union of Advocates, says a worker doing the same job or of equal value to the work of another employee should expect to get the same pay irrespective of sex, race or national origin.

"An employer commits racial discrimination when he makes job decisions on the basis of race.

"Unfortunately, UAE laws fall short of protecting workers from pay discrimination or any discriminatory practices by employers if the workers involved accept employment contracts that are binding.

"However, a worker can still sue his employer for pay discrimination on the grounds that the UAE constitution provides for equality before the law without regard to race, nationality or social status. So the constitution prohibits discrimination in every aspect of the employment relationship, including hiring, firing, promotions, job training or any other employment term.

"The court will not guarantee that a worker who was subject to pay discrimination will get a fair salary or is not fired from his or her job. A ruling will just order compensation for any damages inflicted as a result of discrimination."

On whether companies should be forced by law to have standard job classifications and evaluation, Dr Al Rokn says: "Legislation in the UAE has not gone that far. This is too sophisticated for our young country."

Obaid Ebrahim, a UAE businessman, says the principle of equal pay for equal work in the private sector would prevent employers from exploiting workers and ensure low-wage workers have decent living standards. The principle will increase salaries that, in turn, increase purchasing power of workers and force employers to raise efficiency and productivity.

"It would not cause any losses to the economy or companies. On the contrary, fair salaries would attract more nationals into the private sector, which will reduce unemployment among nationals," Ebrahim says.

Another UAE businessman, who did not want to be named, says the country will be the ultimate loser if wages are increased to a fair level or a minimum wage is set. Expatriate workers who send home billions of dirhams annually would be able to send home more.

"Imposing a certain pay policy on private companies may affect the competitiveness of the economy and divert potential investments to somewhere else."

Wages should be left to market forces and a minimum wage may cause job losses, reduce wage rates in sectors not covered by a minimum wage system and reduce on-the-job training.

"An employer discriminates on the basis of national origin when it makes job decisions based on a worker's ancestry, birthplace, culture or linguistics," says Dr Naeem Al Zunfuli, an HR consultant in Dubai.

It is illegal, he says, to place an advertisement for Tagalog-speaking workers or others with certain characteristics.

"Companies that employ workers from one country may be committing discrimination against workers from other countries who have the same qualifications. Like race discrimination, national origin discrimination is often caused by stereotyped thinking. For instance, an employer who refuses to promote employees of Asian origin because he believes they do not work hard or who refuses to hire workers from a certain area is discriminating.

"Even seemingly neutral employment policies may be discriminatory if they have a disproportionate impact on members of a particular race.

"UAE nationals should not be favoured on the job just because they are citizens. They can be granted homes or plots of land, but should not receive unfair treatment on the job, which prejudices against co-workers in a company."

Dr Al Zunfuli suggests that labour laws force firms to adopt standard job descriptions and evaluation systems that ensure equal pay for equal work without discrimination.

"A job evaluation method includes a set of factors that determine the worth of jobs, such as skills, responsibilities, effort and working conditions."

He spoke of the Point Method of job evaluation that defines skill as experience, education and ability; responsibilities as fiscal and supervisory; effort as mental; and physical and working conditions as location, hazards and extremes in environment.

"In this method, each factor is divided into levels or degrees that are then assigned points. Each job is rated using the job evaluation instrument. The points for each factor are collated to form a total point score for the job. Jobs are then grouped by total point scores and assigned to wage or salary grades so that similarly rated jobs are placed in the same wage or salary grade."

He said these criteria, which should be made by experts in economics, accounting, psychology, sociology and manpower among others, should be reviewed every five years to take into account inflation, scarcity of jobs and the cost of living.

Mohammad Al Shaiba, a Dubai legal consultant, says victims of discrimination do not complain because since there are no anti-discrimination laws, the offender is in a more senior position and they fear for their job.

"Victims also hope discriminatory practices will stop. But they do not want to be marked as troublemakers or get into trouble. They may feel a complaint may make matters even worse or that they might be fired. Some victims believe they will not be taken seriously."

Al Shaiba suggests if a worker suspects any discrimination at work, he should keep track of his or her company's employment decisions suspected of being based on race or any other subjective factor. "The worker's concerns should be raised with the HR department. If the company fails to rectify the problem, a worker should then consider bringing in the law."

Everyone has right to equal pay for equal work

* Under the ILO Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951, each member country must ensure that all workers are covered by the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value.
* Differential rates between workers as determined by objective appraisal shall not be considered as contrary to the principle of equal remuneration, the convention says. Appropriate action should be taken, after consultation with the employers' and workers' organisations, to ensure the application of the principle of equal remuneration.
* Where appropriate for the purpose of facilitating the determination of rates or remuneration in accordance with the principle of equal remuneration, each ILO member should establish methods for objective appraisal of the work to be performed, whether by job analysis or by other procedures, with a view to provide a classification of jobs.
* ILO conventions stipulate that everyone should, without discrimination, enjoy equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of remuneration for work of equal value.
* Under these conventions, ILO members should abolish all discrimination among workers on grounds of race, colour, sex, belief, tribal association or trade union affiliation in respect of wage rates, which shall be fixed according to the principle of equal pay for work of equal value in the same operation and undertaking.
* Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work. "

Shocking, eh?

-Face81
:jippo:

i don't think english, europeans,... do this kind of work in dubai. but europenas doing construction work in their home country get a multiple for this work

Well, it true. Pakistanis and Indians do get low pays in the Middle East compared to the White people.

My dad was the director of all a hospital in Al-Ain, and about 23 remote clinics, but he got less pay compared to his white coleague. And the White coleague and my dad were at the same level, but he got less, just cause she was "Western" ..

and i have to agree that there is a lot of Pakistani/Indian labour class in UAE, but that is because Pakistan and India are huge countries with a big populations, and we export manpower to different parts of the world, and we also have a lot of smart people, business men, and highly educated Pakistanis in the UAE that are contributing a lot to the UAE economy.

yes, in many concerns it's like that. it's always said india or pakistan are under developed countries. in general they are compared to other countries, but india has the best computer technicians. many of them work in germany as very little of our guys do this kind of job and the computer branch is one of the few growing rapidly.

i think this special situation is comparable to the situation of afro-americans. i think you have heard that the interviewer may say at the end, you're overqualified or we put you folder to the others,...

i can't really explain it, but it seems to me that people think indians don't have the right qualifications. of course there are many who don't have, but there are also lots of guys with qualification.

just my opinion and impression!!!!!

what do you guys think???

Yeah its stupid. I beleive in the equality of salaries for alll the nationalites excet for the locals for sure.It really piss me off when i see westerns having so much benifts comparing to south asians in the same level although they dont really deserve it . Its really sad to see our University bring what they are supposed to be expert westernes and pay them load of money while they arent really experts.

this whole situation is very strange

as a native german i can say germans have been focused more and more on themselves over the last couple of years. many poeple are jealous of others who have more. many poeple talk much negative stuff. people are not as friendly as years ago,...

sometimes it seems to me the westerners think of themselves they are something better?!

i've never made experiences like these in dubai or oman. not yet!

the other side is that - and i have to say this - most of the far east staff in hotels doesn't do a good job in the restaurant service. most of them are phillipines, chinese,.. but it's not only they are unable, it's also that they are not trained enough to do the job satisfacturing for tourists.

the fact is: every nationality has its advantages and disadvantages and it's hard to say which one is better, if we should even judge that?!
let me just say. all man are created equal and deserve to be treated like this in a good way

a very difficult to explain topic!!!!

got to say that Dubai was one to the racist places i have even been in the world
you see this time of this every where in Dubai as far as I am concerned
For such a worldly city there is so much ignorance about other races, people and countries

i just would like to know why. maybe it's too cosmopolitan? too many nationalities on one spot

There are many cause
There is not much room for personal change in Dubai for the people there seem to way to much acceptance of the way things are. The fact that there are no forums media or out let for people to force change. And those that do exist are so limited in their power, focus and community based. There is fierce competition for many jobs and so you could argue that many have in a way by their very nature brought these conditions on them selves. Its also used by many others to exploit workers and people. There is so much ignorance and lack of tolerance and acceptance and even fear.
The fact there are large numbers ghettos and community’s that don’t interact or mix with other in the general society. ( that’s if there is even one) . This come down to Dubai immigration policy and the fact that these people will always be transients. Yu might think it odd with such a open door policy there would be equality amongst all. But this is defiantly not the case. There are sharp divides between any types of people in UAE between race, country of origin, age and sex.

i can't really judge the situation as you have to watch this for several weeks and you can only do that when you're resident and come in contact with it every day

i know there won't be any perfect country ever, but i have never imagined it so bad

but i still think dubai's situation is much more harmless than in other countries. but this can change with the dramatically increase of international population

yer i know i was little one sided but was making point
and change will occur i just believe it will take time
There is still a huge culture shock and future shock going on for people of Dubai and many that come there. It may take a generation or so for true social dynamics to exist and UAE to over come these problems.

Having said that is problem any where in the world ( were just talking about UAE)

yes, think that too. everything is just going too fast right now.
construction first, social environment last, something like this

i just would like to know why. maybe it's too cosmopolitan? too many nationalities on one spot

Why there's discrimination? Because the government pretty much condones it, so all the companies think its ok to do so.

Take a look at this article in yesterday's Gulf News

Ministry shelves job offer project due to lack of finances, staff
Dubai | By Samir Salama, Staff Reporter | 30/09/2004 | Print this page


A lack of finances and a shortage of staff are forcing the labour ministry to put off indefinitely a project to prevent employers from paying workers less than what is promised in a job offer, a senior official said yesterday.
"The lack of finances and human resources have postponed IT projects in the ministry," said Ahmad Kajoor, assistant undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

"The budget for the IT sector in the ministry is controlled by three ministries plus other authorities, which prevents using it on time or in a way that meets the sector's needs. The sector also suffers from brain-drain with four IT professionals, or one third, of the sector's manpower having resigned this year.

"Among the leading projects that have been put on the back-burners indefinitely is one that makes job visas clearly state the salary and job title of the worker.

"The project was to be implemented from October 1. It was made mandatory for employers to submit job offers along with employment visa applications," Kajoor said.

The move is meant to prevent employers from paying the workers less than promised in a job offer. "It also tries to plug a loophole through which some employers bring workers into the country for specific jobs but instead give them other jobs."

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs will only allow a ten per cent difference between the salary mentioned in the job offer and that mentioned in the employment contract.

The law stipulates that employers must submit job offers at the same time as the visa applications and honour them when they sign contracts with workers.

Broken job promises have been the source of a large number of disputes between workers and employers.

The move was meant to protect the rights of workers and would eventually lead to the issuing of a single employment visa rather than the existing two: one by the Ministry of Labour and the other by the Interior Ministry.

Currently, applications for all work permits include optional details about the worker's salary, job title, accommodation and other benefits. Also, the labour ministry does not recognise job offers or any contract other than the employment contract attested by the ministry.

"Making job offers binding on employers and workers will eliminate thousands of disputes... Postponing this project will slow down all other development projects in the ministry," Kajoor said.

-------

Now do you honestly think that the labour ministry is cash strapped and can't afford such a thing? Hardly, more like someone seriously doesn't want this to come through because it means they can't rip off Asian labourers and so the "Finances" excuse is used.

Will it change? Eventually ofcourse, but for now you have to remember there are no anti-discrimination laws in place and haven't ever been, so it's legally acceptable to pay according to the passport you hold or advertise job vacancies with a specific nationality in mind.

"UAE nationals should not be favoured on the job just because they are citizens. They can be granted homes or plots of land, but should not receive unfair treatment on the job, which prejudices against co-workers in a company." "Juiced"

well i agree with most things you said execpt for this part .. UAE nationals must be given priority in jobs besides it's their country man they must be given their rights without objection from any one ;)

yeah ok rise the wages for asian workers that's their right we are all equal i agree but not on the locals expence ..the thing here is not as other parts of the world in the UAE local human resources are being ecouraged to fortify the work-force in the UAE it's part of their rights :) even they themselves won't agree about that.. i don't imagin UAE nationals being homeless or Unemployed in their home like i c in most parts of the worlds " inshala not " they have the right to live their life the way they see it better for them without any objection from other ppl :) but yeah as i said some laws must be reconsidered in order to acheive higher life standards form all the residence of the UAE in general and Dubai in particular ;)

Sorry about the long Essay :P

"UAE nationals should not be favoured on the job just because they are citizens. They can be granted homes or plots of land, but should not receive unfair treatment on the job, which prejudices against co-workers in a company." "Juiced"



That was Face81's post not mine

I think all the people should be treated the same irrespective of anything.

juiced hehe sorry man my bad :D

Shaheen wala i agree :) bas read the post again i'm sure you've missed something ;)

"UAE nationals should not be favoured on the job just because they are citizens. They can be granted homes or plots of land, but should not receive unfair treatment on the job, which prejudices against co-workers in a company." "Juiced"

well i agree with most things you said execpt for this part .. UAE nationals must be given priority in jobs besides it's their country man they must be given their rights without objection from any one ;)

yeah ok rise the wages for asian workers that's their right we are all equal i agree but not on the locals expence ..the thing here is not as other parts of the world in the UAE local human resources are being ecouraged to fortify the work-force in the UAE it's part of their rights :) even they themselves won't agree about that.. i don't imagin UAE nationals being homeless or Unemployed in their home like i c in most parts of the worlds " inshala not " they have the right to live their life the way they see it better for them without any objection from other ppl :) but yeah as i said some laws must be reconsidered in order to acheive higher life standards form all the residence of the UAE in general and Dubai in particular ;)

Sorry about the long Essay :P

Well that isnt wot I said, its what was in the News paper article. They quoted some HR guy.....anyway, the point is that I dont agree with him either.

U.A.E nationals should be given priority and they should be given the opportunity to work in their Dynamic nation. Having said that, they really do need to pass a few laws on equality......They dont need to go as far as that whole Human Rights mess in Bahrain, but simpler rules that ensure the equal treatment for all, regardless of colour, nationality and race would go a long, long way in todays global society.

I read today that the ministry is planning to regulate all school holidays, meaning that they are trying to make it so that every school is closed at the same time and that they are all open at the same time. I really cant see how this would work because of all the different systems that schools in Dubai follow. Thats not the point anyway, my point is that if they are so willing to ensure all schools open and close together, why cant they ensure that people with the same qualifications (regardless of their origins) is paid the same amount? Surely it wouldnt be too hard to monitor that?

And let me just say here that by putting someones job title and SALARY on their Labour Cards is an act of discrimination in itself. Surely they could keep sensitive information like that on their computer systems. Someone really needs to sit them down and give them a few pointers on equality.

-Face81
:jippo:

And let me just say here that by putting someones job title and SALARY on their Labour Cards is an act of discrimination in itself. Surely they could keep sensitive information like that on their computer systems. Someone really needs to sit them down and give them a few pointers on equality.

Putting such info would be good because it would mean the employer can't pay any less than they offered, which can only be a good thing, especially what with all the cases you here about unpaid workers and people getting less than they were expecting initially.

And what Human Rights thing in Bahrain are you talking about?

Putting such info would be good because it would mean the employer can't pay any less than they offered, which can only be a good thing, especially what with all the cases you here about unpaid workers and people getting less than they were expecting initially.

And what Human Rights thing in Bahrain are you talking about?

It really shouldnt be on their cards like that I think. Its a bit of a personal thing, dont u agree? I am sure they can come up with better ways, although what u said is true as well.

This is the Bahrain Human Rights Thing I was talking about:

"Bahrain dissolves rights watchdog
Bahrainis protest against arrests of pro-democracy activists in May
Bahrainis have been warned not to "abuse" their freedoms
The Bahraini authorities have closed a non-governmental human rights watchdog whose director was arrested last week.

Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja is being detained for 45 days over charges of inciting hatred against the regime.

His Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) ignored warnings it had contravened association laws, a government statement said.

The centre had protested at the arrest, saying Mr Khawaja was just "practising his basic rights, namely free speech".

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40299000/jpg/_40299379_bahrain203ap.jpg

The BCHR is one of two human rights NGOs to have been authorised in Bahrain when King Hamad gradually introduced political reforms after becoming ruler in 1999.

Labour Minister Majid al-Alawi ordered the dissolution of the centre for "activities contravening the Associations Law of 1989", a government statement said.

The dissolution takes effect on Wednesday, the statement said.

Royal warning

Mr Khawaja - a member of Bahrain's Shia Muslim majority - was detained after making a speech on Friday blaming the prime minister - the king's uncle - for Bahrain's "economic woes and rising poverty" and calling for his resignation.

King Hamad warned critics on Monday against abusing Bahrain's "openness and freedoms".

"They spread rumours and attack symbols of the government. We distance ourselves from anyone who engages in such acts," newspapers quoted him as saying.

Sunni-ruled Bahrain, which is the home of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, is the poorest Arab Gulf state with high unemployment, especially in some Shia-populated areas.

The island witnessed widespread unrest in the mid-1990s as Shias protested for the reinstatement of Bahrain's elected parliament, which was dissolved in 1975. "

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Must run now mate........check the Life and Chat thread......need some T.V.......talk to u tom!

Cheers,
Face81
:jippo:

I read today that the ministry is planning to regulate all school holidays, meaning that they are trying to make it so that every school is closed at the same time and that they are all open at the same time. I really cant see how this would work because of all the different systems that schools in Dubai follow.
-Face81
:jippo:


I think that they should obligate teaching Arabic and Islamic thoughts in all the schools also. :) that would be really great.

Back to the Building collapse

Industry expects stricter safety rules after collapse

Industry experts expect safety regulations to be further tightened as a result of last week’s tragic accident at Dubai airport. Five workers died and 12 were injured.

Dubai’s reputation is at stake and investigations have already begun into the reasons for the tragedy. The results could provide the basis for a stricter regulatory regime in an effort to ensure this kind of accident does not happen again. More effective on-site health and safety (HSE) supervision may be required.
Rules governing construction are already quite strict in the emirate of Dubai.

Collapses such as the one that took place last Monday are rare. “That is why it made the headlines,” one industry spokesman told Construction Week. He said that Dubai is one of the most congested areas in the world in terms of construction activity and pointed out that the higher the level of activity, the greater the probability that something could go wrong. Anywhere from 5000 to 8000 workers are on site every day at the airport: the chance of human error alone is quite high.

At around 11 am last Monday, a 20 m high section of steel reinforcement against the earth at Terminal 3, caved in trapping workers. The collapse of the 150 m long Section A3 killed five workers, four Pakistanis and one Indian, and injured another 12, one of whom is in a state that is “cause for concern,” according to a DCA spokesperson.

Workers interviewed by Construction Week said some 150 to 200 workers from contractor Al Naboodah Laing and some of the suppliers were at Section A3 when it collapsed. The accident took place at the far end of the huge crater in the ground that will be Terminal 3. It is not yet clear how it happened. Some workers said that the beams holding up the wall gave way (the picture shows a bent beam); others said a crane accidentally knocked off a support leading to the collapse.

Work was stopped as emergency personnel went into overdrive. Civil Defence was called in and the police cordoned off the stretch of Dubai airport frontage for smooth flow of emergency vehicles. They guided lines of workers into buses.

Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, later the same day said: “During the preparation of a wall, a section of the reinforcement cage fell trapping workers. Emergency personnel responded immediately.” Twelve injured workers were rescued and sent to Rashid and Al Baraha hospitals while five succumbed. This the first major incident during building.

“It is a tragic situation for all of us at the Department of Civil Aviation. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased workers. We will conduct a full investigation into the accident,” promised Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, DCA president and chairman of Emirates Group.

He pointed out that the DCA has an extremely strict and most professionally controlled quality assurance and quality control systems in place. “We have three independent safety bodies – one controlled by the contractor, one by the consultant and one by the DCA. We would like to reinforce the fact that safety of all our people working at Dubai airport is top most priority,” he said. DCA handled the crisis reasonably efficiently and openly.

http://www.itp.net/business/news/details.php?id=13096&category=construction

I think that they should obligate teaching Arabic and Islamic thoughts in all the schools also. :) that would be really great.

and I don’t see why they should. Dubai being such an international place being coming form all over the world. If their children are just spending a few years here they why should they have to learn this. While learning anew language is of great help and learning experience it self. I don’t see why they should.

and I don’t see why they should. Dubai being such an international place being coming form all over the world. If their children are just spending a few years here they why should they have to learn this. While learning anew language is of great help and learning experience it self. I don’t see why they should.

Because i need to talk in my language which is the offcial language of the country. I wonder what would u do if 90% of Sydney's population talk in arabic while English is the official language and only u and ur relatives and friends talk in english. And then u'll need to learn arabic. I dont like that.

Dubai is special case.
Sydney is very diff from Dubai they come here to settle.
As far as immigrants while there is some pressure on them to speak English. But many don’t. even as second language. Their kids are forced to learn English at public school. But they are Australia citizens so why not ? I know many parents who don’t speak English. There are few private schools that teach in other languages. There are shops and communities Suburbs that are based in other languages. And I have no problems still easy to shop there for me.
I don’t get why any one should be forced when they are just passing through or when they can survive just fine. Maybe the people that don’t speak Arabic have no reason to talk to you. ( sorry harsh) More so why is it their responsibility.

Just my Views thats all

dubai has decided to "live an international life" and intends to attract people from all over the world, so they have to deal with a loss of arabic language
as trances said, many schools teach english or are english schools

and don't forget: even english is a foreign language for most dubai residents just as a foreign language for arabs

i think everybody can get along with arabs talking arabic to each other and english for discussions between international people.
so the arabic language won't diappear

oh i dont want that to happen
just belive that there are direct reason for teaching english an
no responablity to teach arabic

I think that they should obligate teaching Arabic and Islamic thoughts in all the schools also. :) that would be really great.

Wouldn't it be better to just teach something like the Religious Studies course you can do in schools back in the UK? It covers all religions and would be better given the diversity of UAE residents.

Plus, forcing children to learn an additional language (in addition to French/German/whatever) is just too much bother. I think recently they decided to introduce Arabic up to Yr 12 in Indian schools here or something like that and lots of people complained that the students there have enough work as it is

Final count is five dead and 17 hurt

Construction Week can confirm that the death toll of the accident at Dubai International Airpport Terminal 3 expansion is five. There is no truth in the rumours circulating in Dubai that eight or more are dead.

Construction Week can also confirm that the number of injured in the accident is greater than that reported so far: 17 not 12. These counts come from an actual sighting of the records and from the doctor attending the injured.

All the injured were released from the hospitals by the end of September and were back at their camp in Sonapur. The injured were taken to Al Baraha and Rashid hospitals in Dubai following the accident.

It was still not clear what caused the 20 m high steel reinforcement mesh to collapse onto the workers on the morning of 27th September 2004. Some workers at the site say that the hook of a mobile crane accidentally got caught in the mesh and pulled a section down; others say that the beams supporting the reinforcement wall gave way because of the weight. Another possible cause being voiced is that the ground may have been unevenly soft because of water seepage.

A design consultant commenting on the picture of the accident site said that it appears to show re-bar in place ready for casting along a big span and large height. The weight of these bars may not have been supported between the scaffolding and the wall on the other side.

Another expert said that the conventional steel fixing seems to have been supported insufficiently and may have toppled. Tie ropes either side could possibly have prevented the accident. However, both said that they could be wrong and that it would be up to the qualified investigators to examine the site and interview the survivors to find the true cause of the tragic accident.

The Dubai Department of Civil Aviation has ordered a full inquiry into the cause of the accident. The DCA is overseeing the US $4.1 billion expansion and upgrade of the Dubai International Airport. The main contractor is Al Naboodah Laing O’Rourke, and the project design consultant for Terminal 3, where the accident occurred, is Aeroports de Paris International, which operates the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Five people were killed and several were trapped under rubble when a section of the roof of a terminal had collapsed at the Charles de Gaulle Airport on 23rd May 2004. Laing O’Rourke is also building Terminal 5 at London’s Heathrow Airport.

http://www.itp.net/business/news/details.php?id=13242&category=construction

yesterday i was discussing this issue with a civil engineer and he told me that the whole mistake was a small mistake in calculation because of the massive size in construction in this site. it's a bit complicated but it was made on three stages the accident occered in the last wall or scafolding . and about the saftey it is quite high here and most employees in Dubai Municipality are forced to take a course in safety even if it wasn't their job and guess what it has a long duration, it would take almost 6 months where in someother places it would take 5 hours .. :)

Man dies at construction site accident

Gulf NEWS
By Nasouh Nazzal
Staff Reporter

Ras Al Khaimah : A man was killed when he was hit by a mechanical digger at a construction site here yesterday.

Sinam Sanad, a 32 year old Indian, died after being pinned behind the vehicle at the site on Khuzzam Street, police said.

Police found that the driver, Mohammad Khalid, also an Indian, was operating the digger without a driver's licence. He was detained by the police for questioning.

just another event sorry

without license?
not good at all
i really would like to know if all the construction workers in dubai have licenses and have an education for construction engineer or whatever (don't know the english word, sorry)

I highly question some of them have any skills beyond knowing how to board a plane to get here
Sorry that was little harsh, But you get what I mean
With the recruitment and drive to get workers and work done many things are missed
This all goes back to where we have questions skills in the past

i do get what you mean
this is not a racistic question, but i'm convinced many of them don't fulfil the standards of a licensed worker
but when everything works out fine it's ok
with all these construction sites and hundreds of thousands of workers it's a miracle nothing more happened than the airport collapse, which was obviously a fault by the designer (the one who designed charles de gaulle)

Recently all construction workers had to get a school certificate to show they were educated, but a lot of them are faked and it's easy to get degree certificates in whatever.
So you really just have to take their word for it

faked?
i'd like to know if dubai controls their licenses regularly and if they care about this problem at all, it doesn't seem to be like this :(

FAKED ?
really this would of been some use when i went for my visa !

Yup faked. If a construction worker wants to come here from India but hasn't got a school certificate because he didn't go to school he isn't gonna go and redo his secondary education just so he could get that job, so he just gets a fake sch cert instead. I've heard of it happen

just wondering where do they get these fakes?
municipality? :lol:

mafia? :weird:

who knows?

sure you can get them printed up
seen it done on the streets in BKK
not sure how they would stand up to closer look
but then maybe no one does

More Quality Treatment of workers in News today
GULF NEWS
Over 2,000 workers go hungry as firm cuts food supplies

Dubai: More than 2,000 unpaid workers at a construction company claim they are suffering from hunger.

Twenty five workers of the Dubai based company complained to the labour ministry yesterday.

"We have not been paid for five months now and the employer stopped providing food and yet he keeps contracting us out to other companies," a worker said yesterday.

"We are reduced to receiving assistance from charities and friends," he said.

The 2,000 workers who are from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal said they have not worked for the last six days because their employer allegedly failed to pay them for five months.

Another worker, who supports a family of seven back home, said since he joined the company about six months ago he has not received his salary which now amounts to Dh5,000.

"I paid about Dh10,000 to obtain the work visa, but I am stranded here penniless, without a residence visa, a labour card or a health card." He said at least 700 workers who joined along with him faced the same set of problems.

A third worker said they complained to the police twice, but they were told to lodge their complaint with the labour ministry.

"The company's manager threatened us and told us to report to work or we would face prison."

The employer was unavailable for comment.

Ali Al Sharhan, Director of the Labour Relations Department at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, instructed the legal consultant who investigated the complaint to issue a warning to the employer to pay the workers' salaries or face legal action.

He assured the workers that the police cannot force them to return to work unless the employer pays them the money they are owed.

A senior labour official said the company was blacklisted after it failed to respond to many requests to submit salary audits that prove wages have been paid regularly and on time.

A business analyst said that while strong laws protecting workers' rights are already in place, their enforcement may still not come for a while.

"Offending companies are said to have taken advantage of the ineffective enforcement of salary protection regulations by the ministry of labour."

The ministry started demanding quarterly salary audit reports in May 2003.

According to the salary protection regulations, companies are sent three requests to submit the reports within three months. If a company still fails to submit them after the third request, its dealings with the ministry are suspended.

"Work permit committees must ensure that these companies have submitted the report," said Ahmad Mismar, head of the companies unit at the ministry.

"If a company fails to do this, its application for work permits will be turned down." He said companies with a record of non-payment of salaries will be closely monitored.

They automatically receive reminders to submit these salary reports on time.

This will only take place if the company has been singled out as a potential problem by any of the directors of either the Labour Inspection Department, the Labour Relations Department or the Labour Office.

The ministry demands salary information from certain construction companies, general maintenance contractors, transport companies, garment manufacturers and others with 200 or more workers.

Demands

* Three-months' salary and the balance within a month or two
* Health and labour cards
* Two meals a day
* Two pairs of boots and two uniforms every year
* To be paid on time
* An additional Dh2.5 an hour when contracted out
* Regular transport
* Healthcare
* Leave salary and air tickets when they go on annual leave

absolutely incredible
i'd like to hear the name of this company
i'm sure it's neither emaar nor nakheel

Dennis, we're not talking about Nakheel and Emaar.

They don't have workers, they contract their projects to private contractors, who in return contract part of the job to different companies, who contract workers from other companies and so on.

thanks for your help :)
didn't know ther was such a big difference

They don't have workers, they contract their projects to private contractors, who in return contract part of the job to different companies, who contract workers from other companies and so on.

Makes sense

GULF NEWS
Dubai

Unpaid employees refuse compromise salary offered
More than 2,000 employees at a construction company who stopped working to protest not being paid for five months have refused two months’ salary offered by the employer.
“The two months’ wages are not enough and the offer is not in writing, so we refused it,” a spokesman for the workers said.

“Considering the many empty promises the company gave us, we cannot accept any more verbal ones.

“Many of our colleagues with up to 15 years of service were sacked and sent home empty-handed. They were just put on flights penniless. So how can we accept promises from a company that treats its old hands this way?” the spokesman said.

Twenty–five workers of the Dubai–based company complained to the labour ministry on Sunday and again on Monday.

Officials from the labour office told them to report to work because the employer promised to pay them two months’ wages.

The 2,000 workers who are from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal said they have not worked for the last eight days because their employer allegedly failed to pay them for five months. Jamal Qasim, general manager of the company, said the company owes the workers three months’ salaries.

“The company faced financial problems because of the recent sharp increase in prices of building materials and delayed payments from our customers.

“We reached an agreement with the workers on three occasions, but every time they retracted their word the next day,” he said.

A senior labour official said the company was blacklisted because it has failed to respond to requests since the beginning of the year to submit salary audits that prove wages have been paid regularly and on time.

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Would have thought the company would have a bit more extra cash lying around if they hadn't paid over 2000 workers for a few months?

just embarassing and incredible what the companies do :(