"Unions from 36 countries protest over treatment of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia"

Trade unions from 36 countries have filed a complaint with the International Labour Organisation over the treatment of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.

The complaint calls for a “commission of inquiry” into labour rights in the country... The demand comes amid growing concern that not enough is being done to improve the conditions of workers as development begins to scale up before the Fifa World Cup, due to take place in the Gulf state in 2034...

…the World Cup, and other major projects, could be tarnished by abusive conditions endured by migrant workers in constructing the necessary infrastructure. These concerns include extortionate recruitment fees, non-payment of wages, false contracts, passport confiscation and exposure to extreme heat…

The number of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia has surged in recent years to more than 13 million, driven in part by a massive construction boom...

… Trade unions from the UK, Japan, Canada, Australia and 13 African countries including Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal pushed through the complaint, despite fierce opposition from the Saudis. The complaint... lists dozens of cases of alleged human trafficking, forced labour, wage theft and physical and sexual abuse of migrant workers...

Fifa says the human rights policy submitted as part of Saudi Arabia’s bid for the World Cup commits the country to embedding ILO standards as part of the 2034 process. ..