Manama: A Bahraini non-governmental society has threatened to launch a wave of strikes and rallies and issue calls for resignations to help reverse the decision to scrap the sponsorship system for foreigners.
\n“The action threats were sparked by the decisions of the labour ministry and which are invariably targeting the economically-challenged sections of the society,” Waheed Al Dossari, the honorary head of the Bahrain Fishermen Society, said. “However, our actions will this time be loud and clear, especially that our movement has already won the support of butchers and vegetable and fruit sellers,” he said.
\nThe society and its sympathisers will hold rallies in several areas in Bahrain to prove that the decisions by the labour ministry were imposed on the weaker sections, Al Dossari said.
\n“The decision to go out to the streets and express our anger is an indication of the injustice and unfairness, which are being imposed on us under the guise of development. We have not seen such grievances in the other Gulf countries or in advanced countries,” he said. “We simply cannot accept the attitudes and decisions forcefully taken by the labour ministry.”
\nThe escalation by the Bahraini NGO is the latest development in the bitter standoff pitting the business community against the labour ministry.
\nLast month, Majeed Al Alawi, the labour minister, said that Bahrain would scrap the sponsorship system, likening it to modern-day slavery. Under the system applied in all Gulf countries, foreigners cannot enter the country or take up employment unless they are sponsored by their company.
\nHowever, according to the Bahraini decision to be implemented on August 1, foreigners will be able to switch jobs without the consent of their employers.
\nThe decision was hailed by international labour organizations, but drew the ire of the powerful Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry and several company owners have vociferously complained about its “dramatic consequences”.
\n“The unreasonable decisions to impose a BD10 monthly fee on each expatriate and to scrap the sponsorship system have threatened the livelihood of many people with economic difficulties. Those behind such decisions should understand that we will soon be staging strikes and rallies and calling for resignations,” Al Dossari said.
\nThe fishermen society in February crippled the country’s fish markets after 1,700 fishermen launched a nationwide strike to demand an exemption from the BD10 monthly fee imposed by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) for each expatriate they employ. The action ended following a personal intervention from Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa amid pledges to assist them.
\nBy Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Manama: A Bahraini non-governmental society has threatened to launch a wave of strikes and rallies and issue calls for resignations to help reverse the decision to scrap the sponsorship system for foreigners. “The action threats were sparked by the decisions … Continue reading