DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 26 (UPI) -- The United Arab Emirates said a report by an advocacy group criticizing the country's draft labor law is inaccurate and doesn't reflect reality.
The official Emirates News Agency, WAM, said Monday a Human Rights Watch report on the proposed labor law failed to mention the positive elements and progress made in dealing with labor rights in the Persian Gulf country.
Human Rights Watch said the law does not meet international standards for working rights and called for the draft to be revised to protect workers' rights, including the right to organize, bargain collectively and conduct a strike. The group said the law should also include domestic workers and other categories ignored in the draft.
Foreign workers, who make up 95 percent of the UAE's workforce, are particularly at risk, the report said, noting that most of the 700,000 construction workers in the building-boom country are from Asia -- mainly Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
WAM said the UAE government is "committed to the ongoing and fast improvements in this regard and the steps taken so far reveal this clearly; the future plans will build on this progress that has been made."
UAE Labor Minister Ali al-Kaabi said Sunday the Human Rights Watch remarks were "appreciated" and promised to take them into consideration, "especially at this time which is dedicated to receiving feedback from relevant organizations."
Al-Kaabi added that since putting the draft law on the Internet, the ministry has been receiving reactions from local, regional and international bodies, including non-governmental organizations. "Based on our values and principles, and out of our keenness to grant workers their rights, we are going to thoroughly study all proposals," he said.
