SPONSORSHIP LAW SCRAPPED

The whole bahrainisation thing ain't workin anymore and the laws will change for that. What's the point of ensuring that bahrainis get jobs when loads of them won't work. I've heard many stories and they're not good. Plus, now with this whole job drive to eradicate unemployment, loads of people rejected the jobs they were offered and I know they're not that great, but you wonder, what will actually please these guys.

Or maybe its the salaries in the region are ridiculous compared to Bahrain... lol.. I mean if ur a waiter, or security, how much do u really expect to earn, 300 dinars..??

With doctors and certain occupations, our salaries are ridiculous... But other than those few jobs, what do ppl expect... If they are not qualified, they can't have high salary jobs...

Green signal for job switching

Expats won’t need employer’s consent anymore
Bahrain Tribune
Sunday, May 21, 2006

Expatriate workers can finally switch jobs without the consent of their employers as the Shura Council approved yesterday the parliament amendments regarding local transfer as part of a bill for the establishment of Labour Market Reforms Authority.

Foreigners would be treated like Bahrainis so that they can switch jobs without breaking the terms and conditions of their contracts.
The Shura approval gives the government the green signal to implement the new system as easing the local transfer procedures comes in line with the Economic Development Board’s (EDB) keenness to promote equality between local and expatriate workers as part of the implementation of the International Labour Market Treaties.

The move is advantageous to Bahrainis also. At present employers prefer expats as they cannot switch jobs easily while nationals are able to move out whenever they want.

Shura member Shaikh Khalid Al Khalifa said that the decision would help remove Bahrain from the international list of countries mistreating expatriate workers.

The bill also stresses on punishing the employers if they fail to pay the salaries of their staff on time. The members supported the Chamber’s amendments of not including any period of delay since that might motivate employers to stop the salary of their workers for that period.
The Council during its first extraordinary session approved all 44 articles of the bill except articles 6 and 19 and the first paragraph of 21.

The Shura members approved almost all the Chamber of Deputies’ major amendments and disagreed over minor things. The fast deliberation of the Council could be attributed to the fact that it took the Chamber five months to approve it and the parliament reached with a mutual agreement between its Deputies, the government and the EDB.

The bill will also conjoin the work permit and emigration documents to ease the paper work. Medical report on the fitness of expatriate workers would be required before issuing work permit.

Here's the full article. Dubai can learn from us as they have a huge problem with "payment".


Jobs switch law backed by Shura
By TARIQ ******

MANAMA

THE Shura Council yesterday approved a law that will, for the first time, allow expatriate workers to switch sponsors at the end of their contracts without the permission of their current employer. Most of the articles in the new labour law were passed by the council including controversial article 25, which will reverse the current system where expatriates face deportation if they switch employers.

Another clause states that employers who fail to pay their staff for just one day could be denied any more work permits.

The move was backed by some Shura Council members and Labour Minister Dr Majeed Al Alawi as an important step forward for human rights in Bahrain.

Dr Al Alawi also said it would benefit Bahraini workers, making them more competitive against their foreign counterparts.

"I don't think that it is something that we should be afraid of, since similar laws have long been in place in developed countries without any disastrous consequences," he said.

"The workers and employers would still be bound by the contracts that they sign.

"For example, a worker would still have to wait for a one-year contract to expire before looking for other employers and they would still have to honour clauses in the contracts.

"So, if the contract states that an employee should not be able to work for a competitor for a certain period of time, the worker would still be bound by it."

Shura Council member Dr Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said that this law could help improve Bahrain's human rights record internationally.

"This is one of the main reasons for Bahrain being criticised by human rights organisations around the world," he said.

Shura Council member Wedad Al Fadhel objected to the wording of the law that would allow workers to leave their jobs 'without their sponsor's permission'.

But Dr Al Alawi explained all that would happen is that expatriates would be able to switch employers in the same way as Bahrainis.

"Bahrainis can currently leave their employers and seek employment anywhere else," he said.

"This law would remove one of the issues that makes Bahrainis less attractive to employers than expatriates because this law would give them all similar rights."

Two articles of the legislation were referred back to the committee to study further and the legislation will still have to go back to parliament to discuss the changes proposed by the Shura Council.

But since Article 25 regar-ding sponsorship transfer was already discussed and approved by parliament, it cannot be amended further.

This means that the legislation will become law if passed before the end of the legislature's current term.

Under the current system, an expat worker cannot change companies at the end of their contract without permission from their boss.

The Shura Council also approved an article that would grant labour authorities the right not to issue new work permits to employers who fail to pay their employees on time.

The council changed the wording of the law, which was submitted by the government, accepting the changes recommended by parliament.

The parliament had decided to remove a clause that would only stop the issuing of new permits if the employer failed to pay his workers for a period of two months or more.

The new wording would mean that the permits could be withheld even if the employer delayed paying his workers by a single day.

The new law also calls for the establishment of a Labour Market Reform Authority to organise the labour market, which would be under the supervision of the Labour Minister, but will have its own administration and budget.

The organisation would be in charge of issuing labour permits and licences and will also collect and analyse data about the market.