"Extension of summer work ban from two to three months advocated,"

The kingdom’s oldest migrant workers’ rights organisation has launched a community initiative in a bid to convince businesses and government bodies to increase the duration of the summer work ban from two to three months.

The Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS) yesterday launched its #ExtendTheShade campaign with a plea to have the extension approved in time for summer next year.

“The well-being of our workforce is paramount,” MWPS chairperson Mona Almoayyed told reporters during the Press conference announcing the initiative. “By extending the work ban, we can significantly reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses and ensure a safer working environment..."

This year’s heat relief, which runs until August 31, was made at the end of last month by Labour Minister Jameel Humaidan, who added that work such as construction will stop during those hours as part of measures to protect workers from the rising temperatures.

The response from the industry has been overwhelmingly positive in the last few years, and the GDN reported in 2023 that there was a 99.2 per cent compliance to the initiative, with 16 violations being recorded by employers and 31 violations by workers.

Bahrain is the only remaining country in the GCC that has limited the ban to two months, with Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and UAE instituting a three-month order, and Qatar implementing a two-and-a-half-month ban this year...

“We are advocating for an extension of the summer work ban for outdoor workers in Bahrain from two months to three months, either from June 15 to September 15 or June 1 to August 30, ensuring better protection against the harsh summer conditions,” the campaign’s co-ordinator and MWPS member Raji Unnikrishnan added. “NGOs, social workers, parliamentarians, and other stakeholders have been talking about the well-being of the workforce, and calling for an extension of the ban...

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