CIOB to launch report on labour conditions around the globe

The CIOB is preparing to launch a report investigating workers’ conditions and human rights abuses around the globe, based on information and survey responses from members in all the Institute’s international branches.

The report, instigated at last year’s Members’ Forum in Qatar, is being coordinated by Stephen Lines FCIOB [corrected], the CIOB immediate past [corrected] regional president for the Middle East, and is due to form the basis of new policy guidance for CIOB members on the challenges of delivering best practice projects in developing economies.

Since last summer’s Members’ Forum, representatives of the CIOB in each time zone have been asked to provide feedback and answer questions on labour conditions in their regions.

Lines, a senior commercial manager for Qatar Rail, told CM: “Early in the new year the CIOB will put out a report based on the findings of this feedback. After the initial findings have been correlated, a new, more in-depth questionnaire will
be sent out to the time-zone representatives to circulate to members.”

Lines said that this research is intended to form the basis of a specific policy for CIOB members, which will be ready to be presented at the Members’ Forum and annual conference taking place later this year in Cambridge.

“By March we will have pulled together enough information to be able to create a full report and to give a recommendation to the forum,” Lines said.

“Members need to stand up and be counted and understand that they have a responsibility for ensuring the best practice and social responsibility of subcontractors. If there is one person living in bad conditions or not being paid on one of the jobs I am running, it is my responsibility to change this.”

As well as a policy on worker conditions, Lines wants to see a CIOB-backed policy on ethical recruitment, as many issues begin a long time before employees start on site, or even reach the country that they will be working in.

“An unscrupulous recruitment company working in India, which is not telling the truth about pay and conditions, can often be the starting point for workers ending up in bad situations,” he added.

Although poor working conditions may be a global issue, the Middle East in general and Qatar in particular are the focus of public and media attention.

Last month, the BBC’s Newsnight highlighted poor living and working conditions for two labourers working for companies supplying labour to Carillion subcontractors.

Carillion said it was “deeply concerned and surprised” over the allegations and would conduct an immediate review. 

Responding to the coverage, Lines said: “We need to get a fair balance across, as people are very keen on reporting the bad. You can’t remove the contractor, so we need to look at what we can do. We need to demonstrate what people are doing for the good.”