Workers vow to shut down UAE embassy in Pretoria over discrimination allegations

[schumi]

Pretoria - Police units and armed private security were on high alert at the United Arab Emirates embassy in Pretoria on Friday as members of local diplomatic staff union Ulemasa protested against alleged human rights abuses and labour law infringements at the diplomatic mission.

"Employees are being dismissed anyhow and the embassy officials contend that they are immune to South African law. They say they can do whatever they see fit with these workers. We are here to fight that. The Vienna Convention states clearly that the sending state [of a diplomatic mission] must respect the laws of the receiving state," said the Union of Local Employees of Missions Accredited to SA's (Ulemasa) general organiser, Ayanda Molefe.

"We are here to enforce compliance within the embassy. We are pleading with Dirco [the department of international relations] a to ensure that the embassies comply with the Labour Relations Act. They must comply with the Constitution of South Africa. Dirco is very much aware of the abuses going on in the embassies. This is not the only embassy where workers are enduring ill-treatment."

She said the abuses common in the diplomatic missions in Pretoria include sexual exploitation, long working hours and at times physical assault of workers.

"Workers in the United Arab Emirates embassy here endure racism, discrimination against women. This embassy does not comply with the Labour Relations Act of this Republic. We want them to comply," she

More at : https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics...oria-over-discrimination-allegations-37280957

 

[MachoPants]

Not a surprise, considering how they treat foreigners and their own locals in home country

 

[LaraC]

Is an embassy or mission considered to be South African soil?

 

[chrisc]

No, once you enter the gate, it is a foreign country (provided it is a stand-alone building, an office section does not count)

That is how Julian Assange was able to avoid arrest for a while

 

[The_Mowgs]

Is an embassy or mission considered to be South African soil?

No

 

[DreamKing]

viva anc .... viva .....

 

[BBSA]

Why all the the drama, why not just take them to the CCMA.

 

[C4Cat]

Is an embassy or mission considered to be South African soil?

Yes, it is still South African soil

 

[ponder]

Lol good luck with that.

Dismissed by a foreign diplomatic mission: Are South African locally recruited employees without an effective remedy? - De Rebus

x Bookmark By Riaan de Jager Imagine being approached for advice by Ms X, a locally recruited secretary of the Ambassador of Argentina, or by Mr Y, the chauffeur of […]

www.derebus.org.za

 

[ponder]

Why all the the drama, why not just take them to the CCMA.

There's that little thing called diplomatic immunity...

You cannot compel them to appear at the ccma, the ccma can continue proceedings without them but will only be able to issue an advisory award which they are free to ignore.

 

[LaraC]

Lol good luck with that.

Dismissed by a foreign diplomatic mission: Are South African locally recruited employees without an effective remedy? - De Rebus

x Bookmark By Riaan de Jager Imagine being approached for advice by Ms X, a locally recruited secretary of the Ambassador of Argentina, or by Mr Y, the chauffeur of […]

www.derebus.org.za

Wow! If you work for a foreign government you are screwed.

 

[ponder]

Wow! If you work for a foreign government you are screwed.

They're not all bad, our favourite buddies in the middle east & china with their excellent human rights records seem to be more problematic. You can approach dirco to fight your cause for you but at the end of the day you have no recourse should they decided not to play ball.

 

[ForceFate]

Wow! If you work for a foreign government you are screwed.

I'd say some are quite decent.

 

[ponder]

I'd say some are quite decent.

Yes, many will bend over backwards to accommodate things. They're usually countries which champions human rights and have good labour laws of their own.

 

[Cray]

Yes, it is still South African soil

Not according to this article....

https://www.labourguide.co.za/most-...mployers-cant-escape-south-african-labour-law

When a foreign embassy is situated in South Africa it is in fact, according to law, based on foreign soil. A South African working at a South Africa based foreign embassy would therefore be subject to the labour law of that foreign country.

 

[genetic]

viva anc .... viva .....

WTF has this got to do with the ANC?

 

[ponder]

A South African working at a South Africa based foreign embassy would therefore be subject to the labour law of that foreign country.

The law might apply, enforcing it is a different story though due to diplomatic immunity. If a diplomat can kill someone and not be prosecuted locally I'm sure flouting labour laws will not make them lose sleep.

 

[DreamKing]

WTF has this got to do with the ANC?

who made the BS labour laws?

viva anc ............ viva ....

 

[Cray]

who made the BS labour laws?

viva anc ............ viva ....

So you think our labour laws should allows things like....

"She said the abuses common in the diplomatic missions in Pretoria include sexual exploitation, long working hours and at times physical assault of workers. " ?

 

[DreamKing]

So you think our labour laws should allows things like....

"She said the abuses common in the diplomatic missions in Pretoria include sexual exploitation, long working hours and at times physical assault of workers. " ?

they will physically behead (real head-to-roll ) you if you don't perform in some countries.

that is their culture, don't use your african standard here.