furthering the cause of labour rights and welfare in the uae
DESCRIPTION
Mock PR CAMPAIGN – Labour of Love Labourers in the UAE comprise a large percentage of the market. It is important that their needs, as well as the needs of the organizations be taken into account to formulate a solution that will be beneficial to both parties. It is in benefit of the entire country that a hospitable environment be created for these workers. Apart from it being a moral duty of organizations, it is also a matter of respect for humanity, and must be taken into account by any organization while employing labour.TRANSCRIPT
Furthering the Cause of Labour Rights and Welfare in the UAE.
Group Members:Nikita AroraRachel LewisSakina Umme AbihaMitthi SinghZuhair Mohammed
PR CAMPAIGN – Labour of Love
CLIENT
•The campaign is being undertaken to supplement
the efforts of and promote the operations of
‘AdoptaCamp’, a campaign initiated by Pakistani
national Saher Sheikh, to improve the lives of
labourers in the UAE.
About the client
•AdoptaCamp currently supports 35 camps and
over 9000 men in Dubai, Sharjah, and Fujairah.
• It strives to serve the basic needs of the workers
including sufficient food and comfortable shelter
with proper hygiene, as well as provide
accommodations and money to send home.
RELEVANCE OF THE CAMPAIGN
• Minimum wage not sufficient, inflexible.
• Prohibition from organizing unions, bargaining
collectively, and going on strike.
• Labor regulations do not cover certain groups.
• Discrimination against women.
• Threat of deportation faced by expat workers.
• ‘Kafala’ system.
AIM OF THE CAMPAIGN
• Promoting by all means possible; benefits for workers in the
UAE by endorsing the activities carried out by ‘AdoptaCamp’
including;
Improvement in working conditions.
Increasing awareness about workers rights and needs.
Persuading organizations to stick to minimum wages.
Taking care of basic necessities.
Creating loan repay schemes.
MEDIA STRATEGY
• Posters, flyers and a brochure will highlight the requirement
of such a campaign.
• Letters to the editor & articles will keep the public informed
about any updates regarding the campaign.
• Radio, television and press interviews will bring to light
personal opinions and first hand experiences of the workers.
• Seminars and Event sponsorships will further propagate the
issue at hand.
Samples of media strategy elements
Letter to the editor
Give workers safe, clean places to stay
Failure to comply with UAE policies for laborers' welfare should invite swift action
Gulf News
Published: 00:00 August 8, 2010
There is no question that the aim of providing clean, humane and safe accommodation
is a welcome step given that some companies have yet to comply with the
government's rule on the matter. Since it adopted a policy aimed at improving the
general living conditions of workers, the UAE has taken various measures to meet the
objective……
There is no question that the aim of providing clean, humane and safe
accommodation is a welcome step given that some companies have yet to
comply with the government's rule on the matter.
Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
Article
Woman commits to improving life for workers
By Megan Hirons Mahon, Staff Photographer
Published: 00:00 August 21, 2010
Shaikh is the founder of the AdoptaCamp programme, which works to
improve the lives of UAE labourers. She has teamed up with the Biryani
Kabab House in Sharjah's Sajaa Industrial Area to provide free Iftar meals for
a 100 workers a night for the whole of Ramadan. The workers think
highly of Saher Shaikh. Wakas Riaz, 23 is a labourer from
Pakistan and is one of the few at the meal who speaks
English. "We are coming every other night to the iftar," he
says. There is no water or electricity where he lives with 35
other men.
Saher Sheikh with workers
Workers show Saher Shaikh the rusty water dispenser that is their only source of
drinking water in their accommodation.
Image Credit: Megan Hirons Mahon/Gulf News
Emirates News is the most balanced and credible source of English-language local news on television.
It airs from a state-of-the-art News Center in Media City & speaks to the concerns of all communities living in the UAE, providing breaking news stories, in-depth reports, and covering relevant events from Dubai and around the world. Their dedicated team of field reporters have, their finger on the pulse of the city and on the latest issues affecting our lives
Dubai Today - 0900-1200. Talks about topical events and issues in Dubai with audience participation via text message, phone calls, and occasional guests in the studio.
Event• A seminar will be held that will invite important members of
organizations (In the UAE) that employ labour on a large
scale and encourage them to improve working conditions
and facilitate workers’ welfare.
• Saher Sheikh will be present to enlighten the audience about
her contribution in the field and what the organizations can
do to further the cause.
• Voluntary donations will be collected.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT
• The campaign will be analyzed to ensure that no activities of the
campaign offend the feelings, emotions, or policies of the country
(organization) or its leaders (members/employees/employers).
• A PR professional will be hired to reach levels of mutual
compromise.
• Positive press coverage will be arranged.
• Maximum efforts to ensure smooth execution.
EVALUATION STRATEGY
•To monitor the impact of the campaign:
Interviews with members of labor organizations.
Interviews with workers.
Giving the workers a platform to discuss their
problems and look for solutions.
CONCLUSION• Labourers in the UAE comprise a large percentage of the market.
It is important that their needs, as well as the needs of the
organizations be taken into account to formulate a solution that
will be beneficial to both parties.
• It is in benefit of the entire country that a hospitable environment
be created for these workers. Apart from it being a moral duty of
organizations, it is also a matter of respect for humanity, and
must be taken into account by any organization while employing
labour.