Director-General of ALO: Qatar Makes Great Strides in Workers' Rights

Geneva, June 08 (QNA) - HE Director-General of the Arab Labor Organization (ALO) Fayez Ali Al Mutairi stressed that Qatar has made great strides in the field of worker's rights and in providing means of security and safety for all workers in the country, especially those working in the facilities of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
In an Interview with (QNA) on the sideline of his participation in the 110th edition of the International Labor Conference, which is being held in Geneva currently, His Excellency praised what Qatar has provided to workers in terms of services and advantages. He also praised the legislation Qatar has enacted to protect workers' rights.
He pointed out that he had visited the State of Qatar several times, since taking office, and was briefed on workers' housing and workplaces. He was also acquainted with what the State of Qatar provides for this category of workers of comfort and safety, whether physical or functional. He also praised Qatar's efforts in training and qualifying labor inspectors in cooperation with the organization, and the decision to raise the minimum wage, which is a global demand in light of the high costs and burdens of life.
HE Fayez Al Mutairi explained that ALO is a key partner for all international labor organizations and that it is keen on effective participation in International Labor Organization (ILO) conferences and Arab and regional coordination to achieve our demands that meet the needs and aspirations of the three parties of production "governments, business owners and workers" in all Arab countries. In this context, he cited the organization's preparation of the Arab Group's observations on the annex to the report of the Director-General of ILO Guy Ryder, on the negative effects of the Israeli occupation on workers and business owners in Palestine and the occupied Arab territories, and its demand for the international community to stop settlement expansion and not to legalize the increase and spread of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the occupied Golan. The Arab group also condemned the Israeli occupation continued settlement expansion without any regard for international resolutions.
He added that the organization is always close to and at the same distance from all of the parties of production "governments, business owners and workers". The organization was able to balance between these parties and achieve Arab-Arab consensus for the first time in its history, stressing the organization's keenness to be close to them and fulfill their desires as much as possible.
Regarding his assessment of the role of Arab workers and their unions, the Director-General of ALO stressed that the workers of the Arab world are among the most efficient workers in the world and contribute significantly to maximizing production in their countries, although the nature of products needs special attention, and the renaissance witnessed by the West and various developed countries currently depend on Arab minds.
He added that union work is well-known in the Arab regions as they have struggled for decades and managed to establish entities and unions and represent the workers regionally and internationally until they became heard all over the globe.
During the interview, Al Mutairi reviewed the role of the ALO and its history of the establishment. ALO is the first Specialized Arab Organization concerned with labor affairs and employment issues on a national level. It was established on 12/01/1965, as one of the specialized organizations affiliated with the League of Arab States. ALO is believing in the importance of concerted tripartite in the Arab world, as a need and a core pillar for Arab unity and the recognition that cooperation in the field of employment is the best guarantee for the Arab human rights in a decent life, founded on social justice, and the process of effective cooperation for developing Arab society on solid and sound foundations, therefore ALO has a unique tripartite structure in the Arab world allows (workers, employers, and governments of 21 Arab countries) to freely debate, elaborate and shape labor standards, policies, and programs.
He pointed out that the organization is concerned with what serves the working class and production and how to face current and future challenges. He noted that the organization is working hard to mitigate the side effects caused by the COVID-19 crisis during the past two years, the high rate of unemployment worldwide, and the loss of many young people of their jobs. The organization also works hard to maintain that the outputs of education comply with the requirements of the labor market in the member countries.
He stressed that the organization has a pivotal role in labor and workers issues, with its publications on strategies, recommendations, studies, and research issued through the organization's main office in Cairo and its branches in various Arab regions. These publications include various fields such as social security, occupational health, and safety, work, labor research, entrepreneurship, and others. He indicated that the organization is always looking into how to develop job opportunities and reduce unemployment rates among youths and university graduates, whether male or female, despite their high rates worldwide. (QNA)