Thousands of workers at QF elect representatives to safeguard their rights

Migrant workers from several Qatar Foundation (QF) contractors are the first in the country to receive extensive training on exercising their right to speak up in their workplaces

30 members – 15 elected workers’ representatives representing several thousand workers and 15 management appointed representatives – are part of the central worker-management joint committee at QF, known as Tashawor, to address a variety of work-related issues like the organization of work, safety and health, and social services.

Karthik Mandal, a craft and manual worker from Nepal, is a worker representative in his company’s joint committee where he represents 130 workers. Hailing from a family that’s involved in government administration and community service, being elected and the responsibility that comes with it came as no surprise to him.

But what came naturally to Mandal was a totally new concept for Baiju Thankachan, a pastry chef from India, who was also elected as a worker representative. Both work for a facilities management service provider at Qatar Foundation.

“At first, I did not understand what it’s all about. Thanks to QF, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Ministry of Labour, we attended many information and training sessions to learn about the importance of having this joint committee and how this platform can help raise our concerns to resolve issues with our employers,” said Thankachan.

For both Thankachan and Mandal, the goal was clear – to amplify the voice of the workers and improve their welfare.

“By voting for me, my fellow workers placed their trust in me which is a great feeling but also comes with great responsibility. I represent around 130 workers and I make sure I regularly have one-on-one chats with each of them to find out if they are facing any issues that I or the committee can help solve,” said Mandal.

According to Thankachan, in addition to dealing with workers concerns, the committee also provides valuable learning opportunities that have helped him boost his efficiency in his day job. “I have learned valuable skills like kitchen safety, time management and task delegation. I make it a point to teach what I have learned to the workers I represent so each one of us can improve and grow professionally.”

Joint Committees in Qatar are being established with support from the Ministry of Labour and the ILO. Qatar is home to more than two million migrant workers, who make up about 95 percent of the country’s total labor force. Working in a country far away from their home land, the physical stress of their day jobs, tight timelines and the harsh weather, all together, inevitably mean there are grievances, which if unheard lowers the morale of the workers.

To improve the current system and boost Qatar’s journey towards higher worker welfare standards, joint committees are being setup. Joint committees are the first point of entry for collective workers’ issues with a primary objective to have workers participate in company decision-making processes. These committees, which bring together equal numbers of management and workers’ representatives, are a platform for regular dialogue between elected employees and management. Issues faced by workers are presented to the management, who work with them to resolve issues efficiently and amicably.

In June this year, Qatar Foundation completed its seventh Tashawor Meeting, a Joint Management Consultation Committee for its main contractors.

On April 21, 2019, Qatar’s Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA) announced Decision No. 21 of 2019 on regulating the conditions and procedures for the election of workers’ representatives to joint committees. A significant step forward in giving workers more voice at the workplace.

Marie-Jose Tayah, Technical Specialist for Social Dialogue at the ILO Office in Doha, said: “QF set the tone when it first made joint committees a mandatory requirement of its contractors. Regular dialogue between management and workers at contractor and QF levels, the latter through the Tashawor platform, can strengthen the implementation of labour reforms that Qatar has embarked on in recent years.

“Open discussions and negotiations between the workers’ representatives and their employers have led to a number of notable improvements in labor relations. Workers’ collective grievances are being acknowledged and resolved quicker and more transparently. Employers are consulting with workers about company policies and procedures before their roll-out to identify possible negative impacts on workers’ living and working conditions. At the individual level, we have noticed a considerable improvement in workers confidence levels and communication skills, and in management’s employee engagement skills, empathetic listening and communication.

“This has been a steep learning curve for contractors, management and workers both, and there is still a lot of room for improvement. We will continue to work together with the Ministry of Labour and QF’s Health, Safety and Environment Department to fine tune our training program and to scale up to new contractors as they join the QF family”

Stephen Brigg, Executive Director of QF Health, Safety and Environment, QF Worker Welfare Specialist, said: “Joint committees are an important step in ensuring that we hear and understand the voice of the workers. With the support and close collaboration of MADSLA and the ILO, we have been able create a platform where we can work together on the issues that matter to them.

“Building strong health and safety standards takes time and requires support and cooperation from a wide range of stakeholders across QF, and the Joint Committees are an important step in this direction.”

Mandal feels the establishment of the Joint Committee has provided a direct and much needed link between workers and higher management. “We now feel like we a have a voice – one that is heard. This has had a positive impact on the morale of the workers. Whether it’s a problem with the food being served in our camp or bigger issues like emergency leave – they know a support system is available to help deal with it, and that is a great feeling for all of us.”

Changing attitudes and behaviors is not something that happens overnight. Brigg said: “Nonetheless, we want to continue to send a clear message to all our contractors that the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone is our utmost priority.”