By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: On the occasion of International Labor Day, the International Labor Organization (ILO) held an awareness campaign on Monday at The Avenues mall in collaboration with the Public Authority of Manpower, Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Kuwait Trade Union Federation. Jaber Al-Ali, Kuwait Country Coordinator of ILO, said the event aims to celebrate International Labor Day and reach out to the public about the concept of decent work.

“The event also aims to affirm that everybody is a worker. It is not limited to handymen, but also to any male or female doing work and getting a wage. For us, it is an important concept to understand, especially here in Kuwait,” he said. “ILO and participating entities are providing brochures and copies of Kuwait’s labor laws at our booth. We will give the public information about our role, and I think this one-day event is a good start for many activities to come,” Ali added.

Acting Deputy Director General for Manpower Protection at PAM Dr Fahad Al-Murad stated the authority’s belief in the importance of work. “We participated in the International Labor Day event to highlight the role of the authority in explaining its role in protecting employment and providing a decent work environment. We focus on punishing violators and work to expedite procedures to refer violators to the judiciary,” he said.

Concerning labor complaints, Murad indicated the authority has formed a committee to consider the complaints of workers and employers. “This committee is responsible for following up the procedures and developing solutions. The number of workers in Kuwait is large and the percentage of complaints is considered normal. Many amendments and laws will be worked on,” he pointed out.

General Secretary of KTUF Mohammed Al-Arada noted the event is keen to educate citizens and residents about the role of unions by distributing 10,000 brochures about labor rights that protect workers, in addition to providing information about the domestic workers’ law.

Arada called on the legislative and executive authorities to extend cooperation and focus on and prioritize popular issues, such as developing the health and education system, reducing unemployment, confronting corruption and safeguarding public funds. “We demand the abolition of the sponsorship system and the creation of a new system that guarantees the rights of workers in Kuwait,” he said.

“We have a big challenge ahead, including new work patterns, artificial intelligence and digital transformation. We need to amend some legislation and issue new ones to guarantee workers’ rights,” Arada stressed, affirming the union plays a prominent national role in all national issues and builds bridges of cooperation between the country’s partners to contribute and encourage social dialogue to resolve problems.