News Archive
BBC ‘mole’ finds grim labour conditions in Dubai
Released on 10/04/2009
Dubai’s Ministry of Labour is investigating claims made in a BBC report that construction workers in the Emirate are being forced to live in inhumane conditions.
The recent BBC investigation found a lack of clean water and raw sewage in one camp, which housed 7,500 labourers in 1,248 rooms. The Ministry is looking into the “veracity” of the claims, according to the UAE newspaper The National.
The BBC investigation was carried out by undercover Panorama reporter Ben Anderson, who used a hidden camera. In secret, he followed a group of workers home from work. Employed by The First Group’s subcontractors United Engineering Construction (UNEC). They were working on a development due to be finished in June ready for England striker Michael Owen to move in.
Anderson’s BBC online report said: “The workers told a grim tale. None had been paid the money they were promised by the recruitment agencies, and many said they couldn't afford to eat properly, living on a diet of potatoes, lentils and bread. Average salaries are often no more than £120 a month. This for a six-day week, often working up to 12-hour shifts. One company paid approximately 30p an hour for overtime.”
UNEC said that its minimum basic salary and overtime rate were significantly higher and that employees only worked 12-hour days in exceptional circumstances. It said its workers were fully aware of their proposed terms of employment before traveling to Dubai. The First Group also said the pay and conditions at the camp were legal.
One of Dubai’s biggest new developments is The Jumeirah Golf Estates, which will host the climax of the European Golf championship in November. The main developer is Leisurecorp, which also owns the championship golf course at Turnberry in Scotland, and has a stake in Troon.
Anderson’s team again followed workers from one of Dubai’s biggest construction firms Arabtec, back to their accommodation. After an hour-long journey back to their gated and guarded labour camp, the workers described the grim living conditions.
“The latrines are so filthy we cannot use them, we are so disgusted. The roads are full of garbage and waterlogged. Living and moving about here is a great problem. We suffer greatly,” one worker told the BBC.
After sneaking into the camp, Anderson wrote: “Sewage had leaked out all over the camp, and workers had to create a network of stepping stones to cross it and get back to their accommodation blocks. One toilet block had no water supply and the latrines were filled with piles of raw faeces.”
A month prior to the BBC’s visit, Arabtec had been fined 10,000 dirhams (about $2,900), for allowing sewage to overflow into workers' accommodation. The authorities also reported that the camp was overcrowded with 7,500 labourers sharing 1,248 rooms with poor ventilation.
Arabtec did not accept that there were unsanitary conditions at any of its camps’ toilets. It blamed the workers, saying, despite training, their “standards of cleanliness and hygiene are not up to your or our standards”.
One of Jumeirah Golf Estates’ambassadors, the English celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has removed his name from the company’s website.
