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CIOB to launch report on labour conditions

around the globe Members’ insights to inform new international policy

The CIOB is preparing to launch a report investigating workers' conditions and human rights abuses around the globe, based on information and survey responses from members in all the Institute's international branches. The report, instigated at last year's Members' Forum in Qatar, is being co- ordinated by Stephen Lines MCIOB, the CIOB regional president for the Middle East, and is due to form the basis of new policy guidance for CIOB members on the challenges of delivering best practice projects in developing economies. Since last summer’s Members’ Forum,

representatives of the CIOB in each time zone have been asked to provide feedback and answer questions on labour conditions in their regions. Lines, a senior commercial manager for

Qatar Rail, told CM: “Early in the new year the CIOB will put out a report based on the fi ndings of this feedback. After the initial fi ndings have been correlated, a new, more in-depth questionnaire will be sent out to the time-zone representatives to circulate to members.” Lines said that this research is

intended to form the basis of a specifi c policy for CIOB members, which will be ready to be presented at the Members' Forum and annual conference taking place later this year in Cambridge. “By March we will have pulled together enough information to be able to create a full report and to give a recommendation to the forum,” Lines said. “Members need to stand up and be

counted and understand that they have a responsibility for ensuring the best practice and social responsibility of sub- contractors. If there is one person living in bad conditions or not being paid on one of the jobs I am running, it is my responsibility to change this.” As well as a policy on worker conditions, Lines wants to see a CIOB-backed policy on ethical recruitment, as many issues begin a long time before employees start on site, or even reach the country that they will be working in. “An unscrupulous recruitment company

working in India, which is not telling the truth about pay and conditions, can often be the starting point for workers ending up in bad situations,” he added.

“Members need to understand they have a responsibility for ensuring the best practice and social responsibility of sub- contractors”

Although poor working conditions may be a global issue, the Middle East in general and Qatar in particular are the focus of public and media attention. Last month, the BBC's Newsnight highlighted poor living and working conditions for two labourers working for companies supplying labour to Carillion sub-contractors (see below, right). Carillion said it was “deeply concerned and surprised” over the allegations and would conduct an immediate review. Responding to the coverage, Lines

said: “We need to get a fair balance across, as people are very keen on reporting the bad. You can't remove the contractor, so we need to look at what we can do. We need to demonstrate what people are doing for the good.”

Solid Foundation The Qatar Foundation and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy have offi cially unveiled the design for the Qatar Foundation Stadium, one of the host venues in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The stadium will have a tournament capacity of 40 000 spectators, due to be reduced to 25 000 in legacy mode thanks to a modular design that allows the upper seating tier to be dismantled. Arup is providing structural, building services and facade engineering design, as well as consulting on the stadium cooling system and sustainability. The architect is Madrid-based RFA

Fenwick Iribarren Architects, which has a specialism in sports architecture, and the project will be delivered by the Qatar Foundation Capital Projects Directorate. Completion is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2018.

4 | JANUARY 2015 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER