What has improved in terms of working conditions in Qatar? Quite a few, says an expert. Not enough.
Dietmar Schäfers is Vice President of IG BAU and the international construction and woodworkers union BWI. In this function, he conducted negotiations with the local organizing committee of the World Cup and the responsible ministry of labor and social affairs in Qatar and carried out on-site inspections. Here he talks about progress and problems.
kicker: Mr. Schäfers, you worked with BWI to improve working conditions on the World Cup construction sites in Qatar. Are you satisfied with what you have achieved so far?
Dietmar Schäfers : If you remember the impressions from 2013, when the conditions were really bad, and look at what it looks like today, then the effort was worth it. We have achieved improvements: the change in the law that the kafala system will be abolished and that there will be no more recruitment bonuses. The fact that we have been able to carry out independent international labor inspections on construction sites since 2017 is also a positive achievement. But that doesn’t mean that you can now sit back and relax.
Where has the greatest progress been made?
Giant strides have been made in terms of the accommodation situation on the construction sites. Not only because the Qataris could be urged to do so, but also because the companies have become much more sensitive and have made sure that there is reasonable accommodation and a decent food supply. A big step is the introduction of the minimum wage and its annual review as well as that of the contract components. The workers have their own spokespersons on the construction sites, and there are complaints offices and meetings where they can report their complaints to the Ministry and the Supreme Committee. It is now also possible for migrant workers to change employers.
The number of inspectors must be massively increased.
However, there are still considerable shortcomings.
One cannot expect that the situation in terms of occupational safety and health will develop from now on in the same way as we have in Europe. Even in Germany these changes took a long time. For us Europeans it may all be small steps, for the Qatar it is a giant step.
What are the main problems?
There are still a few difficulties in implementing what has been agreed. This is mainly due to the fact that the number of inspectors has to be massively increased. I cannot deny the will of the Qataris, but efforts are not enough. Further steps must follow, including in terms of occupational health and safety. This is now exemplary on the World Cup construction sites, but this does not apply to the whole country.
What do you think of a boycott of the World Cup?
After all the improvements – even if you don’t have to give the all-clear now – a boycott now would be absolutely counterproductive. A boycott doesn’t help the people there. It would run the risk of standing still, and standing still doesn’t need the people down there.
Do you believe that the changes will be maintained or even continue after the World Cup?
Faith and hope are not a strategy, so it will be important to agree further steps beyond the World Cup in further talks. I am confident that it can work.
