國際勞工組織限卡達於期限內終止移工遭虐情事
國際勞工組織(International Labor Organization,ILO)對卡達祭出最後通牒,要求卡達於11月前推動新勞工法規改革,暨以藉此終止移工遭虐的狀況,並表示將於十一月決定是否針對波灣國壓迫移工事件進行調查。
阿拉伯國家的兩百五十萬人口中,約有九成是來自印度、尼泊爾及孟加拉的移工,且多從事低工資的建築業,如為2020年世界盃建的運動場及基礎建設等。
卡達近年因倡議人士及工會檢舉居住環境擁擠、健康及安全標準低、移工薪資和護照遭扣等情事而備受抨擊。
ILO稱已留意到卡達近期試圖改善移工惡劣處境,惟仍要求波灣國家提供勞工法改革的資訊,國際勞工組織於報告上表示,「已決定要求卡達政府持續提供與移工出入境及居留相關法規的落實資訊」。
ILO的執行單位亦要求卡達提供與其國內勞工的相關的改革細節,並於十一月時提出解決勞資爭議的成效,ILO將於此時決定是否針對卡達的移工遭虐情事成立一專門委員會。對此,卡達駐德里的大使館官員未即時提供相關回應。
根據波灣國家的「kafala 外勞擔保制度」,移工不得變更工作,亦不得在未獲雇主同意下出境,此為勞團詬病的主因。
去(2016)年,卡達通過允許合約到期的移工自由變更工作及對沒收移工護照的雇主開罰的新法。但活動人士認為此項改革仍未能徹底遏止移工受虐的狀況。
在有效期限長達五年的合約限制下,移工在變更工作時,仍需原雇主的許可。若移工未獲雇主同意下另覓工作,其將面臨遭逮捕、拘留或遣返等潛逃刑罰。
國際特赦組織印度分部主任阿卡(Aakar Patel)呼籲卡達公布推動終止強迫勞動的切實進展,「即廢除出境准許系統(Exit Permit System),如此一來,雇主無權干涉移工出境的決定,並修正雇用法條,讓雇主無法阻止移工變更工作」。
【原文】
Qatar given deadline to end abuse of migrant workers or face investigation
By Nita Bhalla
NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Qatar has until November to implement new labor reforms designed to end abuse of migrant workers or potentially face an investigation by an international labor watchdog in the lead up to hosting the 2022 World Cup.
The United Nation's International Labour Organization (ILO) said it was deferring until November a decision on whether to investigate the Gulf state for forced labor violations involving migrant workers.
Around 90 percent of the Arab state's 2.5 million population are migrant workers from countries including India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Many are in low-paid construction jobs to build stadiums and infrastructure ahead of the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
But Doha has come under criticism in recent years, with activists and trade unions reporting abuses such as squalid living conditions, poor health and safety standards, and migrants having their pay withheld and passports confiscated.
The ILO said late on Tuesday it had noted recent measures by Qatar to improve the plight of migrant workers, but asked the Gulf state to provide further information on labor reforms.
"The Governing Body decides to request the Government of Qatar to continue to provide information ... on further measures to effectively implement (a law) relating to the entry, exit and residence of migrant workers," the ILO said in a report.
The ILO's executive also asked Doha for details on reforms related to domestic workers and the status of committees to resolve workers' disputes by its next meeting in November - when it will decide whether to appoint a commission to probe abuses.
Qatari embassy officials in Delhi were not immediately available for comment on the ILO decision.
The wealthy gas-rich state's kafala sponsorship system - under which migrant workers cannot change jobs or leave the country without their employer's permission - lies at the heart of allegations of forced labor.
In December, Qatar passed a new law which allows workers who have completed contracts to change jobs freely and imposes fines of businesses who confiscate employees' passports.
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But activists say the reforms do not go far enough.
Workers still need their employer's permission to seek alternative employment, during the period of their contract, which can last up to five years.
If they change jobs without this permission they face criminal charges for "absconding" which can lead to their arrest, detention and deportation.Aakar Patel, executive director of Amnesty International India, called on Qatar to show it was making "serious" progress towards ending forced labor.
"This means unequivocally abolishing the exit permit system so that employers have no right to interfere in a migrant worker's ability to leave the country, and amending employment laws so that employers no longer have the power to prevent migrant workers from changing jobs," Patel said.
原文網址:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-qatar-rights-migrants-idUSKBN16T2B9