JEDDAH, 14 November 2007 — Proposals by a group of concerned Saudis to launch an organization to protect the rights of workers and tackle unemployment in the Kingdom have been declined by the Ministry of Labor.
Anees Al-Ansari, founder and president of the Saudi Society of Labor, received a telephone call last week from the labor minister’s office informing him that the organization had been denied permission, as there are already other bodies that play a similar role. “I was very disappointed to know that we were rejected. It isn’t like we live in an ideal society with no employment problems,” Al-Ansari said.
“The rate of unemployment is increasing everyday. This means that there is a problem. There are only 15 labor committees ... for the whole Kingdom, which is a very small number,” Al-Ansari added.
Asmaa Al-Jihani, deputy president of the society, said the reasons given were ambiguous.
She said the Ministry of Labor’s excuse that there are other similar committees in the Kingdom was not justifiable, as they all work differently. “We were surprised that the minister refused to meet Anees Al-Ansari. We’re willing to work with the ministry. Our aims are clearly outlined in the proposal,” she said.
Al-Ansari said that members would ask the ministry to reconsider its decision. “If we’re refused permission again, then we’ll go to the Court of Grievances to follow up on our right to establish the society. ... We can be asked to modify our goals but we can’t be totally rejected,” she said.
The society was founded last August with Al-Ansari as president, Al-Jihani as deputy president, and Shadia Al-Otaibi, Wael Al-Talhi and Muhammad Al-Talhi as members.
“Our society will be an association comprising different unions. Each union will have a different role. We have big goals that we wish to see materialize. This is something that will benefit all employed people and will help them follow up on their problems,” said Al-Ansari.
Among proposals listed by the society are plans to support workingwomen by offering them training. The society also aims to hire attorneys to fight labor disputes on behalf of employees.
“Both the employed and the unemployed don’t know their rights in order to fight for them,” said Al-Ansari in a previous report. For now, the society is fighting for its own right to establish itself in the Kingdom.
