Corona’s offerings: This is how Qatar violates workers’ rights

Mustafa Kamel

The spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) within Qatar revealed many losses and violations committed by the Hamdeen regime, especially in their dealings with workers and their intransigence to continue their work, confirming that Doha continues to work to finish preparing for the 2022 World Cup without looking at the dangers that pose to workers.

This comes despite repeated alerts by the World Health Organization to reduce them as much as possible to curb the epidemic that is spreading globally.

Interests first

The Hammadin regime began to follow their interests above anything, and to achieve temporary and instantaneous gains to dazzle the world, not only without considering the rights of workers and avoiding the spread of global infection.

Violations of the right to employment arose in Qatar in 2018, when Doha introduced increased working hours and replacement contracts.

The British newspaper, The Independent, said that workers in Qatar are building shrines to die in, and not building stadiums, as claimed by the Qatari state.

Nearly 30,000 workers are working on infrastructure projects for the 2022 World Cup, without setting rules to protect them through the application of employment welfare that was approved in 2014.

Tens of thousands of migrant workers are based on roads in the industrial area of ​​Doha and are housed in camps in the desert where they are transported to construction sites, renewing fears and enhancing the chances of a deadly epidemic,

That prompted the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to issue a report at the time, describing Doha as “having no conscience,” through which it revealed that violations against workers included their stay in an invalid and overcrowded residence.

Although some labor reforms have been implemented over the past year, the Qatari authorities have not repealed the exploitative bailout system, which fuels violations and gives employers excessive authority over workers, as Qatari law still prohibits migrant workers from joining unions or participating in strikes.