Unions file complaint over Saudi Arabia's treatment of migrant workers

Reuters

2 days ago

GENEVA, June 4 (Reuters) - The International Trade Union Confederation and its sister African organisation filed a formal complaint on Wednesday urging the International Labour Organization to investigate Saudi Arabia's labour practices.
It raised concerns about mistreatment of migrant construction and domestic workers as the 2034 soccer World Cup looms on the horizon, citing examples of workers being forced to work up to 20 hours a day, denied wages and subjected to beatings.
Human rights groups have strongly criticised FIFA's decision to award Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup as the kingdom does not have a minimum wage for migrant workers and also enforces the "kafala" system that binds them to a specific employer for the duration of their residence in the country.
FIFA and Saudi Arabia's communications office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Saudi Arabia has previously denied accusations of human rights abuses.
"Workers are being treated as disposable in Saudi Arabia. They leave alive and return in coffins," Joel Odigie, General Secretary of ITUC-Africa, said in a statement.
ITUC said it had asked the ILO to investigate because it had not seen improvements in workers rights after having tried to engage with the Saudi government.
The ILO, the United Nations body that sets international labour standards, told Reuters its governing body would consider the complaint lodged against Saudi Arabia in November.
In 2024 the Saudi government announced an expatriate insurance policy to protect workers if their employer defaults on salary payments. In 2021 it amended the kafala system by allowing some migrant workers to leave the country without their employer's permission.
Neighbouring Qatar came under similar ITUC criticism ahead of hosting the 2022 World Cup. The ITUC later praised Qatar for introducing labour reforms, though more recently it has raised concerns that they had not been fully implemented.