Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar has changed the labor laws for migrant workers, whose working conditions have long been criticized for being slave-like.
Pressure and solid trade union work have been important for the migrant workers now to get better conditions, according to Johan Lindholm, chairman of the Building and Board member of the International Building Trade Union, BWI, who together with the sports movement worked for change.
The change in the law applies for the two million migrant workers, whose working conditions have long been criticized for being slave-like. But the change would not have taken place without pressure from the International Building Trade Union, BWI, and the sports movement that worked on the ground for change in Qatar, says Johan Lindholm.
– This monarchy has not suddenly started to care about human rights, but the change would never have happened if it were not for the enormous pressure created by us. We have informed before coming to these countries. We have had union representatives who have been down and gone on patrol, we have given legal advice and of course we have courted the regime, he says.
The so-called The Kefala system, where migrant workers are dependent on the employer, has long been criticized by Human Rights Watch, among others. The system means that you may not change jobs or leave the country without the employer’s permission. The human rights organization has collected testimonies about withdrawn wages, threats of deportation, and even physical and sexual violence has occurred.
As of August 30, the law was changed so that migrant workers can change jobs and the minimum wage is raised to SEK 2,400 a month. Johan Lindholm sees the change in the law as an important step in the right direction.
– What we were met by was pure slavery, lost wages, people live in appalling conditions, do not have food for the day and work countless hours. Completely unacceptable conditions. Hopefully the change in the law means that these workers can move in and out of the country, that they can change employers and not, as now, be tied to their world. But this must be followed up and reviewed so that it happens in reality as well, he says.