Doha, Europe Brief News – Labour Rights were discussed during a meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino with the Qatar Minister of Labour Dr Ali bin Samikh Al-Marri in Doha, Qatar.
As the FIFA World Cup is just around the corner and scheduled to be played in Qatar, the discussion between the two focused on the important progress achieved in the area of workers’ welfare and labour rights since the 2010 tournament in Qatar.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA President said, “ We have to acknowledge the important progress that has been achieved in Qatar over the last decade”.
He further added that they have launched the landmark legislative reforms and have already brought significant benefits for thousands of immigrant workers.
He also said, “ I am pleased to see the strong commitment from the Qatari authorities to ensure the reforms are fully implemented across the labour market, leaving a lasting legacy of the Fifa Worldcup long after the event and benefiting the workers in the host country in the long term”.
Significant Changes in Labour Rights Reforms
During their meeting, Gianni Infantino and Dr Ali bin Samikh Al marri recognized the conclusions of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and highlighted the major advances in labour reforms to set up a concrete platform for workers.
The platform will protect the workers right beyond 2022 and have already made evident positive effects for the immigrant workers.
For example, the new law on minimum wage has already led to increased wages for 280,000 workers. Similarly, since May 2021, the legislation on a working day during high temperature has been banned above 32.1°C and it has minimised the heat-related cases in Qatar hospitals.
The labour reforms also include new regulations on overtime pay, termination and conditions of employment for domestic workers. The new regulations also focus on establishing 14 new Qatar visa centres in various origin countries.
Dr Ali bin Samikh Al marri said “ The state of Qatar has been a pioneer in modernising labour law and regulation regarding worker’s welfare. Such reforms are based on a legal and legislative framework that will continue to be applied after the World Cup”.
The Qatari government is making a number of efforts to provide the right framework for the immigrant workers and this is the only country in the middle east that is now active to provide all legal rights to workers.
