Qatari companies cut wages, jobs and cancel expatriate leave over Coronavirus pandemic
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Roshan Amiri
- . June 16, 2020
- . Update: June 16, 2020 12:22 pm
The financial aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic causes significant damage in Qatar following a surge in the flare-up that has of late prompted the cutting of pay and lay off of workers. A portion of Qatar’s state-possessed organizations has cut their wages as a significant aspect of a more extensive government policy to lessen spending and support finances to reduce the effect of the Covid-19 episode.
Qatar Airways will lay off nearly 20 percent of its workforce as the Covid-19 pandemic due to a drop in travel demand, its CEO has stated. The basic pay of two senior pilots will decrease a quarter while junior pilots’ salary will reduce by 15 percent according to the letter to the flight-deck crew from official, Bloomberg stated. Qatar Petroleum, the biggest producer of LPG, sacked around 800 employees.
As per Bloomberg News, Qatar is anticipated to host the 2022 soccer World Cup, but since 2014, reports of exploitation of migrant laborers at the stadiums have come into notice. Despite growing reforms, such migrant labor abuse continues on a large scale today also. As per Human Rights Watch, many laborers died due to starvation and thirst amid terrible working conditions and excess heat. Many were abandoned and destitute amid covid-19, and in the long run, felt obliged to head back home, without enough savings in hand.
On Thursday, Expatriates working in Qatar expressed that their supervisors had canceled leaves and banned them from leaving the nation in the wake of tension amidst other Arab powers. The cutting down of salaries and jobs of foreigners could undermine Qatar’s economic development by raising the danger of work deficiencies and harming consumer spending and demand.
A representative for Qatar Petroleum stated recently that because of the sanctions on Qatar “a couple of critical workers may have been approached to suspend their leave for operational reasons as per their wisdom.” He said all Qatari staff and expatriates could, however, apply for leave by following standard protocols, but they didn’t mention anything related to the exit permit.
Whereas, according to the Covid-19 protocols announced by the Qatari government, Employers will continue getting their basic pay and allowances, for example, food and lodging, according to their agreement in various sectors. Workers and employers can concur that over availing an unpaid leave, and apply for annual leave, or minimize working hours, but, on the contrary, things don’t appear to head according to the decided pandemic protocols.
As of late, Qatar urged government-funded companies to cut spending on non-Qatari employees’ salaries by 30% from June 1 either by cutting pay or laying-off workers in an attempt to support its finances to adapt to the aftermaths of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Qatari Ministry has set up a devoted hotline: 40280660 to get reports of any violation related to workplace or accommodations. Laborers can likewise call and submit any labor-related complaint by utilizing instant messages through accessible 24-hour service. However, Hoping many workers make use of this benefit and get help after complaining, which is still to be observed.
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