In June 2020, Migrant-Rights.org reported that at least 1,000 employees of UK-based security company G4S are reliant on community donations for food and other amenities after their contracts with the company were suspended or terminated in March. As per UAE law, the workers have remained in company accommodation, but have not received salary since March. Some workers have exhausted their end-of-service benefits on food.
Migrant-rights.org also highlighted that while the UAE response to the COVID-19 pandemic permits companies to renegotiate workers' contracts, it is unclear if G4S workers' suspensions are in line with the new regulations, as this requires workers' advance and written consent.
食物权
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Precarious/Unsuitable Living Conditions
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Personal Health
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Wage Theft
回应
已邀请回应：是，由NGO
后续行动: The company is now funding the repatriation of workers whose visas have been cancelled, but some who remain report being transferred to accommodations where they are not permitted to use cooking facilities and air-conditioning does not work, although the company has said it will address it.
A spokesperson for G4S told Migrant-rights.org, “We have been proactively providing free accommodation, soap and hand sanitiser, and more than 40,000 meals in the past two months. We are also in the process of repatriating more than 900 people, regardless of cost. More than 450 people have returned to their country of origin so far, and a further 460 will return home in coming weeks... G4S has agreed with some employees to grant paid leave and/or unpaid leave to employees where there is no work for them to undertake."
G4S provided a statement including background information which can be read in full.
At least a thousand employees of the security giant G4S... are relying on community donations for food and basic necessities in the UAE... Most of the workers were either terminated or had their contracts suspended in March. They have received no salary since March, and while they remain in company accommodation as required by law, no other amenities, including soap, are provided...
Workers whose visas have been cancelled are now being repatriated...
[Under COVID-19 regulations] companies may terminate workers or renegotiate their contracts...
It’s unclear if the suspension of workers contracts violates these regulations, as a temporary or permanent reduction in working hours and salary requires advance written consent from the employee.
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