MLSD Minister word on the occasion of International Workers' Day

03-05-2020

The Kingdom of Bahrain joins the world in commemorating International Workers' Day, which falls on 1 May of each year. The Kingdom of Bahrain has traditionally celebrated this prestigious occasion with the world's countries, marking it as an official holiday due to the international values it represents, in which the international community appreciates the achievements and contributions of the working class to construction and development. History confirms the pivotal and long-standing role of the working class in the triangle of the three parties of production (workers, employers, governments). On this occasion, His Excellency the Minister of Labour and Social Development, Mr Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, affirmed the great appreciation of the leadership in the Kingdom of Bahrain, represented by the generous care that Bahraini workers receive from the leader of our comprehensive development journey, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, may God protect and preserve him, and guide his steps on the path of goodness, as His Majesty the King has been keen throughout the previous years to include Bahraini workers under His Majesty’s care and attention, may God protect and preserve him, on all occasions and under all circumstances. Humaidan said that this royal interest is clearly evident in His Majesty the King’s patronage of the annual celebrations held by the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions and the Free Bahrain Trade Union Federation on International Workers’ Day. Through these celebrations, the values of work and production are celebrated, and distinguished elites of Bahrain’s workers are honoured, under a royal patronage that embodies His Majesty the King’s constant appreciation for the effective, persevering and giving national arms, and His Majesty’s wishes, may God protect and preserve him, for further development and prosperity, thanks to the efforts and cooperation of all those loyal to this good land. His Excellency the Minister also noted the keenness of the esteemed government, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, may God protect him, to provide all support to workers and ensure the preservation of their rights and job stability. In this context, he referred to His Highness’s generous gesture on the occasion of International Workers’ Day during the Cabinet session last Monday, in which he praised the achievements of Bahraini workers in the development process and their role in building and developing the nation. He stressed that this gesture truly expresses the full appreciation of workers in various production sites, pointing to the continuous support and assistance that workers receive from His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, may God protect him, who places the development of the labour market at the forefront of national priorities, ensuring the provision of quality and appropriate job opportunities for citizens. On this occasion, Humaidan paid tribute to the dear workers of the Kingdom of Bahrain, who are writing with their hands the epic of prosperity in our beloved country, and lighting the torches of the production movement on this generous land in all circumstances and times, and from various work and production sites, in an epic of giving and loyalty that never dries up or runs out. “This important global occasion comes to us this year as the world faces an exceptional challenge in combating the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), as many global workforces from various locations unite to combat the spread of this virus, whether by standing on the front lines within medical, security and administrative teams responsible for treating existing cases and educating and organising communities to limit the spread of the virus and its repercussions on individuals and societies, or by taking their roles in various work and production sites to maintain production capacity and continue to ensure the provision of basic needs of consumer goods, medical equipment and supplies, and other living needs despite these exceptional, transient circumstances that the entire world is experiencing,” Humaidan said. Humaidan touched on the Kingdom of Bahrain’s efforts in this regard, stressing that Bahrain has once again proven, through the unprecedented measures and steps taken at the global level to deal with this global crisis, that it is, as always, at the forefront of distinguished countries in implementing exceptional initiatives to protect all residents on its soil, especially with regard to providing a safe and sound work environment and preserving workers’ rights without any discrimination. In this context, he praised the directives of His Majesty the King, the great King of the country, may God protect and preserve him, to take a series of economic measures that contribute to the stability and steadiness of the labour market in light of the exceptional circumstances the country is experiencing. These measures included the launch of a financial and economic package worth 4.3 billion Bahraini dinars to confront the repercussions of the global spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) at the local level. These included paying the wages of Bahraini workers in the private sector, who number more than 100,000 insured Bahrainis in the private sector, for a period of three months, allocating two portfolios to support taxi drivers, public transport drivers, buses and coaches, and paying the full salaries of female workers in kindergartens and nurseries for a period of three months, as well as redirecting all Labour Fund (Tamkeen) programmes to support affected companies, which contributes to achieving job stability for the national workforce. Humaidan stressed that the esteemed government has paid increasing attention to strengthening workers’ rights and providing them with a safe and healthy environment. It has adopted precautionary measures to protect workers at workplaces and workers’ housing to limit the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), as part of an integrated government plan in which all relevant authorities participated. He pointed to the intensive efforts made by the Ministry of Labour and Social Development to keep the work environment free from the virus, including communicating with employers to adhere to the instructions issued by the Ministry of Health and other official authorities in the Kingdom, which would protect public health at workplaces and workers’ housing, as well as issuing an administrative circular to all establishments operating in the private sector, which constitutes a procedural guide to prevent this pandemic. Humaidan stressed that despite the intensification of comprehensive national efforts within the Bahraini team to combat this virus, the Ministry of Labour and Social Development continues to implement its strategies and plans aimed at providing job opportunities for citizens, within the framework of the government’s efforts to attract more investments and support the business environment as the primary financier of jobs in the labour market in the Kingdom of Bahrain. He also stressed the need to develop national legislation to keep pace with changes in the labour market, in addition to strengthening the training system to keep pace with developments and to align with the general strategy and ongoing employment plans and programmes, to make Bahraini citizens the best choice for employers when hiring, and to maintain unemployment rates within their natural and reassuring limits. This is achieved through several paths, represented by creating an ideal training infrastructure, in addition to providing many benefits and incentives for employers and job seekers. In conclusion, Humaidan stressed that we, as production parties, are all called upon to work as one team to face various challenges and continue the path of construction and development to achieve more gains and accomplishments for the Kingdom of Bahrain. 1 May is an occasion to affirm the determination of the Kingdom of Bahrain, its leadership, government and people, to continue working and giving to drive the economy with steady steps towards growth and prosperity and overcome all difficulties, in order to achieve prosperity, strength and economic and social security for our dear country, and to preserve its gains and accomplishments at various levels.