Lebanon’s migrant workers set to form union

http://www.thestar.com/business/2015/01/02/lebanons_migrant_workers_seek_to_form_union.html

Country’s labour ministry studies proposal aimed at changing system blamed for mistreatment — unpaid wages, forced, labour, physical and sexual abuse.


HUSSEIN MALLA / AP

Migrant domestic workers hold posters in a protest in Lebanon last April.

By: Maeva Bambuck The Associated Press, Published on Fri Jan 02 2015

BEIRUT — Migrant domestic workers in Lebanon are set to protect their rights under a trade union, the first such syndicate in the Arab world where more than 2.4 million foreign domestic workers labour under often harsh conditions.

The Labour Ministry said Monday they received a proposal from the National Federation of Labour Unions to form the syndicate in Lebanon. Migrant workers in Lebanon — mostly from Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines — have fallen victim to unpaid wages, forced labour and even physical and sexual abuse.

At the root of the problem is the “kafala” system, or employee sponsorship arrangement inspired by Gulf Arab countries. Those systems hold the employer legally responsible for their migrant employee. Under this arrangement, domestic workers must rely on employers for their right to live and work in the country.

“We are trying to change the ‘kafala’ system so we can have steady salaries and fixed work hours,” said Sujana Rana, a 36-year-old domestic worker from Nepal.

FULL story at link.

Sorry I'm so late on posting this.