November 26, 2008
United Arab Emirates government moves to protect foreign workers
The UAE government has announced the creation of an agency to protect the interests of foreign labourers.
Agence France-Presse reports that UAE’s Labour Minister Saqr Ghubash was quoted by the official WAM news agency as saying the agency would monitor complaints from workers about unpaid wages and regulate labour conflicts that emerge over salaries.
He added that consultations would take place with employers over the low level of wages, particularly noticeable in the massive construction sector.
The oil-rich and booming United Arab Emirates had a population of some 5.6 million people at the end of 2006.
Of that population, about 84 per cent were foreigners and many of whom were low-paid workers from South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Asian workers have demonstrated several times in the past year to demand higher wages and better living conditions despite a ban on public protests in the UAE.
JOC News Service
| MOST POPULAR STORIES |
- Alberta construction labour outlook not so bright
- How to get security clearance for federal contracts
- Canadian temporary foreign workers bill still has a low profile
- $10 million steel dragon makes a grand entrance in Chilliwack, British Columbia
- Calgary construction projects posted online
- 20 Most Popular Stories
| TODAY’S TOP CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS |
These projects have been selected from 315 projects with a total value of $1,397,361,898 that Reed Construction Data Building Reports reported on yesterday.
$169,000,000 Calgary AB Negotiated
$50,000,000 Province of Alberta AB Prebid
$31,400,000 Chilliwack BC Tenders
| CURRENT STORIES |
- Union highlights deficiencies in construction of Vancouver 2010 Olympic village
- Engineers advocate Qualifications Based Selection for public construction projects
- Construction restarts at stalled oilsands project in Fort McMurray, Alberta
- Competition produces new visions of seniors’ housing
- Worker fatally crushed in Edmonton
- Wolfe Island, Ontario wind farm in operation
- Decision to delay Darlington nuclear power plant carries job cost
- Boutique building takes shape in Toronto
- Algonquin College’s new Ottawa facility will have trades working together
- Project phasing keeps Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario industry near full employment
- Solaris @ Metrogate Phases I and II shaping up in Toronto
- Stantec to rehabilitate major Boston sewer tunnel
- U.S. non-residential construction rises as general industry spending drops
- Developers order Vancouver 2010 Olympic village review
- Romanian Bishop calls office building ‘hideous’ and ‘illegal’
- U.S. manufacturing in ‘slow recovery’ mode
- PTI Group lands field accommodation job for 2010 Vancouver Olympics
- Malaysia bans high-rises on resort island
- Deere’s salaried workers in U.S. line up for buyout program
| ALEX’S ECONOMICS BLOG |
Reed Construction Data Chief Economist Alex Carrick discusses current developments in the North American economic environment with emphasis on the construction industry.
| PROJECT NEWS BRIEFS |
Updates on Canadian construction projects from Reed Construction Data’s research team. More 
- Orillia Market Square aims for LEED Silver certification (Jun 25, 2009)
- Designs for new York Region District School Board building features energy efficiency (Jun 23, 2009)
- Vancouver Convention Centre expansion sets new standards for environmental design (May 22, 2009)
- Waterloo partnership seeks LEED Silver for West Side Family YMCA and District Library (May 22, 2009)
- IPC Energy considers Milford location for future wind farm (May 22, 2009)
