13/01/2021
Migrant activists demand rollback of wage circulars - The Hindu
HYDERABAD
Migrant activists demand rollback of wage circulars
STAFF REPORTER
HYDERABAD, DECEMBER 27, 2020 23:59 IST
UPDATED: DECEMBER 28, 2020 00:00 IST
The Emigrants Welfare Forum (EWF) has demanded that the Ministry of External Affairs
immediately roll back the circulars on reduction of Minimum Referral Wages for Indian
workers in West Asian countries.
EWF president M. Bheem Reddy on Sunday said that a letter to MEA Minister S. Jaishankar
was sent seeking a withdrawal of circulars which lowered the minimum referral wage for
new migrant workers in West Asian countries such as Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and the United
Arab Emirates. He said that as per the circulars, the new wages are $200 for workers going
to Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and the UAE, $245 for those working in Kuwait and $324 for those
in Saudi Arabia.
“The circulars which have fixed the new minimum referral wage will impact salaries by at
least 30% depending on where the workers go. Previously, there was a provision for
allowances. The circulars have not specified anything in connection with allowances which
workers used to get. What is more worrying is that Qatar had fixed a minimum wage of
1,000 Riyals for workers. This will have an adverse effect on Indian workers there,” Mr
Reddy said.
Mr Reddy claimed that several workers have been affected by the revised wages. “There
were dozens of workers which were hired by a company in the hospitality sector in Abu
Dhabi. They were recruited at a minimum wage of AED 950 and given food allowance. The
company is now unwilling to pay that amount and wants employees to work at reduced
wages. There is a need to withdraw these circulars at the earliest and help migrants who are
already struggling,” he said.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/migrant-activists-demand-rollback-of-wage-circulars/article33432686.ece
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