Kuwaiti anti-expat rhetoric could deter incomers

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Labour Force ◽  
Foreign Workers ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Foreign Nationals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Foreign Labour ◽  
International Image ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
The Government

Subject Anti-expatriate sentiment in Kuwait. Significance Some Kuwaiti nationals are increasingly hostile to the presence of foreign nationals, who constitute two-thirds of the population. Certain vocal MPs are calling to reduce their number and tax those that remain. By contrast, the government is considering labour law reforms to assist expatriates: preventing visa sponsors from holding foreign workers’ passports and tackling the trade in their visas. Impacts The persistent demographic imbalance will stoke further anti-expatriate rhetoric. Kuwait, in common with some other Gulf states, will suffer an international image problem regarding foreign labour. Without tackling the inadequacies of the Kuwaiti labour force, the emirate will remain heavily dependent on foreign workers.

Jordan’s king will face rising popular pressures

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Aid ◽  
Content Type ◽  
House Arrest ◽  
Security Services ◽  
Official Position ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
The Government ◽  
Crown Prince ◽  
Video Material

Significance Former Crown Prince Hamzah was placed under house arrest on April 3, as 20 other people were detained. His release of audio and video material that undermined the official position embarrassed the government, and the recent public reconciliation leaves his status unclear. Impacts Despite the aspersions cast on Riyadh, Gulf states will send further financial aid to boost stability and compete for influence. Another government reshuffle and further changes within the security services are likely. Relations between Abdullah and Hamzah will remain troubled, as the latter seeks to remain relevant in case an opportunity presents itself.

Family friendly policies and the Omani Labour Law

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-348
Author(s):  
Shweta Belwal ◽  
Rakesh Belwal ◽  
Suhaila Ebrahim Al-Hashemi
Keyword(s):  
Women Workers ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gcc Countries ◽  
Family Friendly ◽  
Workplace Policies ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to take cognisance of the work–life balance (WLB) challenges facing working women in Oman, make a review of the family-friendly policies (FFPs), related provisions in labour laws of various nations, and identify and suggest some FFP-based solutions for attracting women to private sector jobs. Design/methodology/approach Initially, desk research was used to review the labour laws of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and some pioneering countries known for their workplace policies using the major electronic databases and official websites. An exploratory approach was used to understand the lived experience of participants using 46 in-depth interviews. The data were analysed and the findings were explained and contextualised in terms of the Arab culture, wider social processes and consequences related to WLB. Findings The interviews revealed that the majority of women in the private sector are not fully aware of the labour laws and FFPs, and are not satisfied with the existing policies, as they do not provide the right WLB. Women in the private sector demand flexible working hours, privacy at work, reduced work hours and certain other benefits akin to the government sector. Omani Labour Law needs a review of FFPs in line with the best global practices and Oman’s diversification initiatives. The provision, awareness and implementation of FFPs in the workplace are necessary to attract Omani women to private sector jobs. Research limitations/implications This research focusses on Oman in particular and GCC countries in general in its coverage of Omani women workers. The outcomes would be important for the specific segment but would have limited potential to generalise. Practical implications The study of WLB and FFPs is of interest for both academia and industry globally. In its strategic vision 2040, Oman aims to encourage, support and develop the private sector to drive the national economy. To retain and boost the socio-economic development in the post-oil economy, the success of the private sector will depend on the participation of the Omani workforce. The role of working Omani women will be pivotal, for they form a substantial part of the skilled human resources inventory. Social implications Women working in Oman are influenced by labour laws, organisational culture, traditional attitudes and societal values and influences. The voices of women working in the private sector indicate a great need to create awareness of existing policies, ensure their compliance and devise additional workplace policies to enable women to contribute to the labour market. Originality/value There is a dearth of studies examining work policies and employment of women in the context of Oman in particular and the GCC Countries in general. Even in the extant literature, the sectoral imbalance between the government and private sector has not been explored from the perspective of WLB and FFPs. This study presents a unique approach and findings in this regard.

Kazakhstan will silence dissenting voices amid crisis

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Freedom Of Expression ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
The West ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lower House ◽  
International Image ◽  
International Human ◽  
The Government

Subject Prosecutions for questioning Kazakhstan's statehood. Significance Two civil society activists in Kazakhstan, Yermek Narymbayev and Serikjan Mambetalin, were jailed on January 22 after being found guilty of 'inciting ethnic discord' for comments they posted on Facebook. The verdict, condemned by domestic and international human rights groups, came shortly before the authorities announced that elections to the lower house of parliament originally scheduled for January 2017 had been brought forward to March 20. Impacts Nazarbayev's Nur Otan party will win a majority in the March polls and other parties that gain seats will have tacit government approval. Crackdowns on freedom of expression will tarnish efforts to maintain good relations with the West. The government will continue to fund costly lobbying campaigns to improve its international image.

Iran's military set for more aggressive stance in Gulf

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Armed Forces ◽  
General Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Defence Budget ◽  
Intelligence Collection ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Military ◽  
Major General

Significance Tensions between the Gulf states and Iran have escalated significantly in 2016, in the wake of Iran's signing of a landmark deal in 2015 that brought to an end the decade-long dispute over its nuclear programme. The response of Iran's military to the heightened tensions will be partly influenced by the new chairman of the Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS), the country's top military body, Major General Mohamad Hossein Bagheri. Impacts A more assertive and non-compromising IRGC will increase pressure on President Hassan Rouhani as he seeks re-election in 2017. Improvements in intelligence collection and dissemination are likely in Syria, aimed at reducing Iranian casualties. The military and government are likely to clash soon over the defence budget and its allocation. The government will try to keep the IRGC in check by tipping the media off about alleged financial wrongdoings. With the next US president expected to adopt a harder-line stance on Iran, the diplomatic rapprochement may be reversed partially.

Reform of Japan's working practices grows more urgent

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Trade Union ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Law Reform ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reform Legislation ◽  
Fixed Wage ◽  
Working Practices ◽  
The Government ◽  
Labour Regulation

Subject Labour regulation and workers' rights in Japan. Significance Prime Minister Shinzo Abe withdrew a key labour law reform at the end of February that would have expanded a system of 'discretionary labour' in which employees are paid a fixed wage regardless of how long they actually work. The stated reason was that flaws had been found in the survey data that the government used to support the legislation. However, the proposed law had generated opposition since first introduced in 2015. Critics argued that it simply expanded unpaid overtime worked by already stressed employees. Impacts A 2013 reform that comes into force on April 1 will inform the prospects of new legislation. The government will need trade union backing to buttress support within the ruling and opposition parties. An unrelated political scandal facing the prime minister could derail labour reform legislation.

scholarly journals Exploring the spatial concentration of foreign employment in Poland under the simplified procedure

2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agata Górny ◽  
Przemysław Śleszyński
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Distribution ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Foreign Workers ◽  
Spatial Concentration ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Large Cities ◽  
Geographical Concentration ◽  
Foreign Labour ◽  
Simplified Procedure

The unprecedented growth of immigration into Poland after 2013, especially from Ukraine, raises optimism among employers, and concerns among some social and political actors. The goal of this article is to contribute to that discussion, with a view to identifying a detailed geographical localisation of labour migrants employed under the simplified procedure (on the basis of employers’ declarations of a consent to employ a foreigner) – as an important legal channel by which the influx of foreign workers into Poland is taking place. Analyses of the register of declarations for 2012-2017 reveal a certain weakening of the geographical concentration of the foreign labour force in Poland. The highest intensity of foreign employment has been observed in rural areas, while the greatest numbers of declarations for work have been registered in large cities. The geographical distribution of the foreign labour force in Poland has been shaped by activities of employment agencies especially in recent years.

Taiwan government will show resolve on economy

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Policy ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Plan ◽  
Inflationary Pressure ◽  
External Demand ◽  
Domestic Policies ◽  
The Government

Subject Economic policy in Taiwan. Significance The government earlier this month announced an eight-year special budget for infrastructure worth 880 billion Taiwan dollars (29 billion US dollars). It is part of an economic plan in February that aims to boost GDP growth over the next four years, signalling a push to address livelihood issues by the government of President Tsai Ing-wen, whose public support has evaporated since she took office last May. The plan's announcement follows closely on the heels of the introduction of a five-day work week in January. The controversial amendment to the labour law shortening the work week indicates a new willingness by the Tsai administration to weather public discontent in pressing forward with its economic agenda. Impacts GDP growth will get a fiscal boost, but the targeted 2.5-3.0% may still prove too ambitious. The labour reform will create inflationary pressure. Taiwan's export dependence means that domestic policies can only go so far; external demand will be crucial.

China’s push for growth will put safety second

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Coal Mines ◽  
White Collar ◽  
Chemical Plants ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Urban Services ◽  
Workplace Accidents ◽  
International Image ◽  
The Government

Subject Workplace accidents in China. Significance Major and well-publicised accidents in workplaces such as coal mines and chemical plants have damaged China’s international image and fed popular anger within the country about official incompetence and a culture of ‘bloodstained GDP’ that tolerates businesspeople putting ‘money before morality’. However, the number of workplace deaths fell by 8.6% last year to 34,600, according to official figures out this month, while the number of accidents fell by 6.5% to 49,000. The figures have declined continually each year for well over a decade. Impacts A shift in employment from industry to urban services will mean more deaths from smaller, less dramatic accidents. The government is determined to eliminate major accidents that make headlines, but largely ignores smaller ones. Low-paid workers face additional hazards on journeys to and from work, and in dangerously cramped, poorly built housing. White-collar professionals too are increasingly at risk of illness and even death from overwork.

COVID-19 could undermine the Gulf foreign labour model

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Content Type ◽  
Foreign Labour ◽  
Gulf States

Headline GULF STATES: COVID-19 may weaken foreign labour model

The labour disputes of Chinese posted workers in the B&R countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-225
Author(s):  
Dong Yan ◽  
Yixuan Wu
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Chinese Enterprises ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Foreign Labour ◽  
Chinese Workers ◽  
Labour Disputes ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis study aims to decrypt the efforts made by Chinese people's courts nationwide to protect the rights of Chinese posted workers in the Belt & Road (B&R) countries by investigating labour litigation cases with an extraterritorial application of Chinese labour law (under the “doctrine of overriding mandatory labour rules”).Design/methodology/approachThis study collected all labour litigation from 2014 to 2018 brought forward by Chinese posted workers in Chinese courts against Chinese enterprises regarding the performance of employment contracts in the B&R countries where Chinese labour laws were mandatorily applied under the doctrine of overriding mandatory labour rules. The study adopted a qualitive research approach to analyse the compiled cases to explore their characteristics and effects.FindingsThis study found that the volume of labour disputes in the B&R countries had a somewhat positive correlation to the amount of investment from China. However, this correlation was rather superficial when compared with the correlation to the type of industrial sector (e.g. the construction sector) and to the claim category (e.g. remuneration claims). Moreover, labour disputes in both the B&R countries and China shared a great deal of similarity with regard to their concentration in certain sectors and in certain types of claims. Therefore, mandatorily applying Chinese labour law could be convenient for Chinese workers returning from abroad who seek remedies and could allow Chinese judges to issue affirmative decisions regardless of the territory in which the worker was posted.Research limitations/implicationsThe cases collected by this study were limited to those filed in China by Chinese workers who were hired by Chinese enterprises and sent to work in the B&R countries and did not include those filed in the B&R countries by Chinese posted workers. Future research should therefore attempt to gather a broader range of labour disputes to further clarify the issues and need for labour protection for Chinese posted workers in the B&R countries.Practical implicationsThis study argues that the doctrine of overriding mandatory labour rules is not entirely unproblematic because it might arbitrarily rule out the standards set by foreign labour legislation that could be more favourable to workers or offer them greater protection. Therefore, giving judges a certain degree of discretion is imperative to allow them to apply foreign labour standards when they have been proven to benefit workers.Originality/valueApart from a handful of reports on individual cases, there have been very few empirical studies regarding the general picture of labour protection for Chinese posted workers in the B&R countries. This study has adopted a novel approach to collect information on labour disputes in the B&R countries and to facilitate a qualitative analysis to test the practical implications of the doctrine of overriding mandatory labour rules.

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