FEATURE Labour camps HELP ON THE HORIZON
I was being shown round a luxury development being built in one of those smart new cities outside Cairo, writes OPP Editor Christopher Nye, and as we sidled round the guys busy plastering, my host said with a wink: “Marvelous builders, Nubians. And the best thing is, we only have to pay them a dollar a day.”
Now, maybe that’s a marvelous salary in Nubia and maybe the company was helping in other ways, but how can we ensure that developments we sell are making everyone’s lives better? Thankfully, help is coming from several directions:
was well over 45ºC and workers were allowed to return home early. This sentiment was echoed by Sarin, whe believes that until construction bosses wake up and understand that they need to treat their workers more humanely, there will be very little change in working conditions. Sobha workers came back at 11am and did not go back to the
The standards we enjoy in the West are a luxury
site until about 3pm, missing the scorching midday hours. They stick to the rule that nobody can work more than a nine-hour shift and all employees get one day off a week. Occasionally workers will work seven days a week, but not for sustained periods of time and it will tend to be when their particular skill, for example stone cutting, is in need. With my Western upbringing and outlook I cannot help but wonder whether the workers in the
54 SOBHA NORTH INDIA CAMP
05. The camp shop with a range of essentials and treats.
06. 100,000 litres of water to keep workers clean and cool.
07. Well-scrubbed toilets help ensure a healthy workforce.
08. Who needs women? A clean, orderly camp but no wives allowed.
worst camps should be allowed to choose this lifestyle for themselves and their families. But I have to remind myself that for most, being able to live a clean, trouble-free life and earn a higher wage than they could make at home exceeds many of their expectations. In a country where feeding one’s family can be a daily struggle, the standards we enjoy in the west are a luxury that people here cannot afford. So there will be no shortage of willing labourers.
More training to improve individual skills and government legislation that will regulate living and healthcare conditions will only contribute to bringing up the standard of labour camps across India and make places like Sobha’s North India camp the norm rather than the exception.
Enlightened developers If they meet or exceed standards they will usually be proud to show you, or they may say so on their website or brochure. At the Medina Palms development in Kenya, for example, the company is helping with schools and sports equipment, community projects, even supplying sewing machines to women’s groups. Legislation
In the UAE, labour camps must comply with new laws covering such matters as air-conditioning of accommodation, minimums for personal space and bathroom facilities, medical services and holidays. By 2014 all camps must have been upgraded to meet the law. In India, a new bill is currently before parliament that will impose a levy of 1 to 2% of building costs to be paid to the Building and Construction Workers’ Welfare Board. Involvement of NGOs
If the company won’t look after the workers’ families, they may at least support NGOs (non-governmental organizations). In Pune, India, various NGOs, including Tara Mobile Creches, run 200 schools to care for and educate children on 2,500 building sites. Donations are welcome. However, a basic question remains: should the international property industry, selling luxury and investment property to wealthy people, find a way of doing its bit to make sure that the workers building those homes are treated decently? We welcome the views of our readers; examples of good practices and bad, NGOs and charities looking after workers’ welfare. Email me at
chris.nye@opp-connect.com.
www.opp-connect.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80