BAHRAIN yesterday honoured 274 workers at a special International Labour Day ceremony.His Majesty King Hamad deputised Labour Minister Dr Majeed Al Alawi to attend the event at the Gulf International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Gulf Hotel.

Bahrainis from the government and private sectors along with veterans of the labour movement were honoured at the ceremony, which was organised by the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU).

Dr Al Alawi praised labour reforms introduced in the country in the last five years, which have contributed to the development and rise of legislation, practices and more organisation in workers' rights.

"The honour GFBTU has received two years ago as the first union from the GCC to be accepted in the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, reflects the positive effect reforms have had on unions," he said.

"On the other hand, many Bahrainis have also been elected or chosen for leading roles in international unions and labour organisations and committees.

"It is true the labour market sees differences in opinion, but in the end whether it is the federation, the ministry or the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we are all looking for the interests of workers," stressed Dr Al Alawi.

"The ministry, the federation and the chamber are all partners in decision-making and together we will be able to develop and grow, alone we will falter and fall," he said.

"We need each other to balance the labour market and ensure it is working in the best way possible, without anyone breaching the others' rights.

"The ministry is currently studying two international treaties on industrial tragedies and safety, vocational health and working environment, which will be submitted to the Cabinet and then parliament for ratification.

"A new bureau should be formed to monitor that employers are fulfilling their ends of the deal in respecting the treaties Bahrain has signed and is planning to sign.

Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Dr Essam Fakhro praised the development of the labour movement in the country, which he said was the foundation for growth in the community.

"There are major challenges ahead of us, and they are not just local, but regional and international as markets have begun to open up," he said.

"We thoroughly understand the importance of workers and this why we have pledged full support to the BD30 million Employment Project, initiated by His Majesty, which will help feed the market with skilled labourers who are ready to face the stiff competitiveness in today's market.

"Thousands of Bahrainis are entering the labour market every year, without them having any place," said Mr Fakhro.

"The government should start a small fund to help support those people open small businesses and offer them every support necessary for them to succeed and employ others waiting for the opportunity to enter the labour market.

"Growth last year has been reported as five per cent to 6pc and we hope this will further increase to 9pc this year, something that we are confident of reaching through co-operating with all those involved.

GFBTU secretary-general Abdulghaffar Abdulhussain said that public sector participation in unions work was necessary.

"Today, only private sector organisations and institutions are allowed to form their unions, while others are being denied that right, something we believe is unfair," he said.

"The government is worried that workers in the government could go on a strike, but that's something they are entitled to as anyone else, if conditions they were working in are bad.

Mr Abdulhussain said that Bahrain should focus more on legislations and international treaties regarding workers.

Bapco's Ahmed Salman Abdulla, who spoke on behalf of those honoured, thanked the King for his keenness on honouring outstanding labourers.

Awards were presented by Dr Al Alawi, Mr Fakhro and Mr Abdulhussain to the outstanding workers, low-ranked workers, employees in dangerous or strenuous professions, members of non-governmental organisations, and pioneering individuals in the labour market.

The pioneers include the late Hameed Awachi, Mohsin Sayed Mohammed, Mohammed Mohammedi and Hussain Mohana.