By Tariq A. Al-Maeena
In a country such as ours where a third of the population is comprised of much-needed guest workers, it is essential that laws are implemented to protect and enhance the rights and well-being of our expatriate workforce.
While salaries and other benefits usually fall within standard universal norms, the issue of annual vacations is a sore point for most semi-skilled and unskilled workers, a benefit that seems to be missing from most standard work contracts.
Such was the glaring deficiency raised to me by Abdunnaser Odungat, an expatriate guest worker who has been in the Kingdom for some time. He contends that as human beings we may survive an average of 6o years in a healthy state. Many expats, especially Asians, have been working and living in the GCC countries for an average of 20 to 25 years and some for longer than that. Incredibly, a vast majority of them live on bachelor status, away from home and family! Half of their lifetime away from home and family; seeing their kids grow, having intimacy, meeting with parents and friends…. once in two years and sometimes once in three years! However, it has to be said that some companies already give annual vacations to all of their employees.
The age of servitude or similar practices has been eradicated from much of the civilized world. Several world bodies, including Saudi Arabia, are continuously planning and implementing steps to ensure the improvement of human rights and values. The well-being of our guest workers also falls within this domain.
So, we have to consider everything in a humane manner. We should not create a situation where any expatriate employee, from the labor to the high-tech level, stays here in the Kingdom for more than a year without a break. Employers should let them go home for at least a month-long vacation whatever the cost. The vacation should not be postponed and must be made mandatory.
Some people may hesitate to jump at the chance and go. It does not mean they do not miss their family, but rather that circumstances both at home and here have made them postpone a vacation or cancel it altogether. Odungat believes that this has become a normal phenomenon in GCC countries. He says, “As a cultured society, this situation (kids living as orphans, wives as widows, both wife and worker in total absence of intimacy) cannot be tolerated, they should have the chance to be with their loved ones at least once in a year. This is the same as shops closing their doors for prayers three or four times a day despite the loss of business. Those businesses or individuals who cannot afford to add such a requirement to the employment contract should not hire employees from outside.”
The willingness of people to accept unnecessary hardship due to their circumstances or the ignorance of host countries with regard to the welfare of their citizens should not be a justification for disregarding these points of human concern.
The airline industry has grown very competitive and prices are very cheap during the slow seasons. Taking advantage of some incredible offers for ticket prices, most companies and even individuals employing expats should be able to provide a return ticket annually without a great financial burden.
The reward will be the energized contribution of happy employees. Just as we Saudis connect with our families on a regular basis, let us at least make it possible for our guest workers to connect with their loved ones annually. Let us make the annual vacation mandatory for all.
The author can be reached at talmaeena@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @talmaeena
