A new electronic payment method being made available to Bahrain’s employers from next year has been welcomed by workers’ rights activists. Introduced by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) in collaboration with MasterCard International and Bahrain’s Payment International Enterprise, the new payment method will be rolled out from April (2015) and gives employers the option of transferring salaries to their expatriate employees electronically.

“The LMRA’s aim is to secure a well-regulated labour market, in which all the parties respect and honour their obligations towards each other,” said LMRA chief executive Ausamah Al Absi.

“We have been trying to find solutions to ensure employees are paid regularly and on time, as per the law.”

MasterCard Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Yemen director Girish Nanda said that the new method would help “prevent loss or thefts of cash money.”

Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS) chairwoman Marietta Dias described the move as a “good start”.

“This is a good time to stress that the salaries have to be paid on time,” she said.

“We have so many cases of people not being paid for up to 18 months.

“This is really what the focus should be on, as far as we’re concerned – humane treatment and the regular payment of salaries.”

General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions private sector assistant secretary Kareem Radhi cautioned that legislation must be drawn up to enforce the new method.

“The Labour Ministry had previously said that payments should be through bank transfers and not in cash,” he said.

“For us, any decision that helps migrant workers get their salaries on time and without delay is a good thing.

“The Labour Law states that if a salary is not paid for more than a year, then the employer has to pay six per cent interest to the worker, as well as 1pc per month.

“We think any decision to make it easier to give money and ensure it’s received makes for a good working environment and helps protect rights of domestic, construction and hotel workers – but the important thing is that the procedure has to be founded on legislation.”

Meanwhile, Mr Al Absi has also announced the inaugural Annual Bahrain Awards, which aims to “enhance the community’s awareness and respect of the rights and duties of expatriate workers in Bahrain”.

This year’s competition will focus on the wages of domestic employees and is being sponsored by MasterCard.

The competition will highlight a different theme every year which “concerns expatriate workers”.

Contestants will be required to prepare and design media, ranging from short films and photographs to posters.

For more information, visit www.bahrainawards.com.