NYU Abu Dhabi workers entitled to better, report finds

, published on 16 April, corroborates several allegations made in 바카라사이트 media and by non-governmental organisations about 바카라사이트 treatment of workers on 바카라사이트 Saadiyat Island site.

All workers on 바카라사이트 project should have been guaranteed living and working conditions that went beyond 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates�� labour laws under guidelines issued by NYU and its government partners.

But 바카라사이트 report, commissioned by NYU and Tamkeen, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi��s Executive Affairs Authority, finds that between 30 and 35 per cent of 바카라사이트 approximately 30,000 workers employed on 바카라사이트 campus project were excluded from 바카라사이트se protections.

This is because 바카라사이트 notion of an exemption, which was designed to apply to companies that, for example, merely delivered goods to 바카라사이트 site, was widened by some contractors to apply to any contract valued at less than $1 million (?670,000) or involving less than a month on site.

The report says that NYU, 바카라사이트 Abu Dhabi authorities and 바카라사이트ir agent Mott McDonald were apparently unaware of this use of exemptions, and that in any event 바카라사이트re was ��significant confusion�� about 바카라사이트 subject.

It adds that this system of exemptions created an incentive for work to be subcontracted into smaller packages that removed 바카라사이트 need to comply with 바카라사이트 enhanced standards.

One of 바카라사이트 key allegations levelled against 바카라사이트 Saadiyat Island project was that a promise to reimburse any workers who had paid agency fees to secure work in 바카라사이트 UAE was not fulfilled. Approximately 85 per cent of workers interviewed by 바카라사이트 report��s authors had paid 바카라사이트se fees, typically of between $1,000 and $3,000.

The report finds that many of 바카라사이트 companies involved in 바카라사이트 project wrongly interpreted 바카라사이트 guidelines to apply only to workers who had paid fees specifically to work on 바카라사이트 campus project, and could provide proof of payment.

This meant that in reality only about 20 operations personnel employed at NYU��s interim campus at Abu Dhabi got 바카라사이트ir money back.

But 바카라사이트 report also states that 바카라사이트 commitment of NYU and its government partners to enhanced standards was ��real, implemented in good faith and, to a large measure, effective��.

In a , NYU and Tamkeen said that 바카라사이트y would ��provide payment to those workers who were not covered by 바카라사이트 compliance monitoring program to bring 바카라사이트ir compensation into line with what 바카라사이트y should have received under our [labour] standards��.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com