The kingdom’s oldest migrant workers’ rights organisation has launched a community initiative in a bid to convince businesses and government bodies to increase the duration of the summer work ban from two to three months.
The Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS) yesterday launched its #ExtendTheShade campaign with a plea to have the extension approved in time for summer next year.
“The well-being of our workforce is paramount,” MWPS chairperson Mona Almoayyed told reporters during the Press conference announcing the initiative. “By extending the work ban, we can significantly reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses and ensure a safer working environment.
“Global warming is getting worse every year, so we need this extension in place to ensure the well-being of workers during the summer months.”
Since 2007, Bahrain has enforced an annual work ban that prohibits outdoor labour from midday until 4pm, spanning from July 1 to August 30, targeting outdoor construction and other labour-intensive activities during the year’s most sweltering months.
Ms Almoayyed
This year’s heat relief, which runs until August 31, was made at the end of last month by Labour Minister Jameel Humaidan, who added that work such as construction will stop during those hours as part of measures to protect workers from the rising temperatures.
The response from the industry has been overwhelmingly positive in the last few years, and the GDN reported in 2023 that there was a 99.2 per cent compliance to the initiative, with 16 violations being recorded by employers and 31 violations by workers.
Bahrain is the only remaining country in the GCC that has limited the ban to two months, with Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and UAE instituting a three-month order, and Qatar implementing a two-and-a-half-month ban this year.
“We are advocating for an extension of the summer work ban for outdoor workers in Bahrain from two months to three months, either from June 15 to September 15 or June 1 to August 30, ensuring better protection against the harsh summer conditions,” the campaign’s co-ordinator and MWPS member Raji Unnikrishnan added. “NGOs, social workers, parliamentarians, and other stakeholders have been talking about the well-being of the workforce, and calling for an extension of the ban.
“This is the first phase of our campaign, which will take place over the next eight to 10 months, with an aim to have the ban extended by next year.”
MWPS aims to raise awareness and build engagement with businesses and community groups in the coming months, followed by advocacy with the support of industry stakeholders.
MWPS members during a previous initiative run by the organisation
As part of the campaign, the team will highlight the workers’ rights and employers’ responsibilities under the law, emphasise the changing climate patterns leading to an extended summer season, spotlight health risks associated with working outdoors during extreme summer temperatures, showcasing the benefits of a three-month work ban for the well-being and productivity of workers, with examples of success stories from across the region with similar protective measures.
“We urge everyone to join us in advocating for this crucial change. Together, we can safeguard the rights and health of our workers,” MWPS general secretary Madhavan Kallath added.
Established in 2005, MWPS is a Bahraini registered non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to advocating for the basic human rights of migrant workers in accordance with international standards.
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