Migrant workers being paid as little as 82p-AN-HOUR in Qatar World Cup stadium construction project – South Asia Time

Migrant workers being paid as little as 82p-AN-HOUR in Qatar World Cup stadium construction project

 May 22, 2019  

The Mirror revealed the low wages being offered to some of the workers who have traveled from Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Philippines to the oil-rich state.

Photo : Jeremy Armstrong, The Mirror

One worker told the newspaper: “I am a tiler inside the stadium, and help with other work. I earn 900 Riyal (£190) per month.”

They get food, accommodation, healthcare, a month’s holiday and a flight home as part of their jobs.

May Romanos, Gulf Researcher of Amnesty International, said: “Things are not changing as fast as Qatar would like us to believe.

“In October 2017, Qatar introduced a temporary minimum salary of QR750 per month. It is less than the QR900 that the Nepali government has requested… Qatar risks falling behind on its promise to tackle widespread labour exploitation and abuse of migrant workers.”

It was understood in October last year some employees had gone without pay for months and were owed as much as £4,000.

In a statement from on what they label the Amnesty International Misleading Report, the Qatari government said the concerns highlighted are not tolerated by the state.

Fifa awarded the World Cup to Qatar in 2010 — a decision that has been mired in controversy ever since.

Amnesty International says migrants are being abused and exploited to work building new stadiums.

The charity said last year: “Some are being subjected to forced labor.

“They can’t change jobs, they can’t leave the country and they often wait months to get paid.

“Meanwhile, Fifa, its sponsors and the construction companies involved are set to make massive financial gains from the tournament.”

There have been reports of 1,200 deaths of workers, but organisers said there have been far less, and have the number at three, the Sun writes.