Amnesty Worldwide has accused Fifa and the Qatari authorities of failing to correctly handle a “sample of abuse in opposition to migrant employees” on the World Cup, a few of whom labored 12-hour shifts for as much as 38 days in succession with none day without work.
A brand new investigation from the human rights physique additionally discovered that some employees who have been employed as safety guards and marshals needed to pay unlawful recruitment charges – that have been by no means repaid – and had promised extra time pay and bonuses withheld.
Amnesty says the employees reported their remedy on the World Cup grievances hotline in November, however that no motion was taken. In a single case a employee claimed a supervisor threatened to fireplace him and others in retaliation for complaining.
The newest investigation was primarily based on interviews with 22 males from Nepal, Kenya and Ghana, who have been amongst 1000’s of migrant employees employed by the Qatar-based firm Teyseer Safety Companies to work at World Cup websites, together with the Khalifa Worldwide Stadium, fan zones and the Corniche.
Greater than a 3rd of these interviewed stated they needed to work 12 hours every single day and labored for as much as 38 consecutive days with out a time without work, which breaches Qatari regulation. And all 22 accused Teyseer’s representatives, or recruitment brokers, of constructing false guarantees comparable to suggesting that they may take up extra senior roles and earn an additional £220 a month.
Amnesty stated lots of of employees had protested in Qatar in early January to demand their unpaid extra time and a bonus be paid earlier than their short-term contracts ended. However whereas each Teyseer and the federal government promised they might be compensated, the pledge was not honoured.
Steve Cockburn, Amnesty Worldwide’s head of financial and social justice, stated: “The World Cup organisers have been effectively conscious of the problems however didn’t put in place enough measures to guard employees and forestall predictable labour abuses at World Cup websites, even after employees raised these points straight.
“Though six months have handed for the reason that World Cup, Fifa has but to successfully examine the problem, or provide cures. Employees have already waited too lengthy for justice.”
In an announcement, Teyseer denied any wrongdoing and stated: “As an organization, we respect and observe labour legal guidelines and human rights with a view to create a secure and honest work setting for our staff. We’re appalled on the allegations, and we take each considered one of them very significantly.”
It added: “We strictly observe moral recruitment processes and requirements and all our companies abide by them. Each worker was paid the suitable quantity for the hours labored over and above the common working hours as per the labour legal guidelines or the employment contract … and we offer a weekly time without work to staff as it’s their entitlement.”
Nevertheless Fifa confirmed that the Supreme Committee employees’ welfare division had acquired “a number of complaints from Teyseer employees by way of its hotline and labored to handle these along with Teyseer administration”.
“Fifa understands that there are completely different perceptions and views concerning a number of the above factors,” soccer’s governing physique informed Amnesty. “We’ll proceed to keep up a correspondence with the SC’s Employees’ Welfare Division and different related stakeholders to acquire extra readability on these questions.
Nevertheless it additionally added: “It’s the major accountability of the respective firms in addition to the Qatari authorities to rectify attainable hostile impacts on employees.”
