3,353 workers held

MUSCAT — As many as 3,353 expatriate workers were found to be violating the Labour Law during the first quarter of this year, compared to 2,526 offending workers during the corresponding period last year.

Around 2,448 workers were arrested by the authorities concerned by the authorities concerned. Saleh bin Ayel al Amri, the Manpower Ministry’s Adviser for Labour Welfare, said that those arrested on grounds of labour law violation include 2,008 commercial workers, 212 farm workers and 228 private workers.

Al Amri explained that the number of absconding workers in the first quarter of 2012 stood at 1,306 compared to 919 during the corresponding period last year.

District-wise,

the Governorate

of Muscat recorded the highest rate of expat worker violation of the Labour Law (1,957 workers), followed by the Governorate of Al Batinah (565 workers) and the Governorate of Dhofar (236 workers), said Al Amri, noting that 1,565 offending workers were deported in the first quarter of 2012 compared to 1,381 workers deported in the first quarter of 2011.

Meanwhile, a joint inspection team of the Directorate-General of Labour Welfare yesterday carried out an inspection campaign in Masirah Island where 351 workers violating the Labour Law were arrested. These included 71 absconding workers, 19 illegal immigrants and 261 released workers.

Most of them were working in sectors of construction, restaurants, cafes, services and domestic work. — ONA