KUWAIT CITY, March 1: Head of Kuwait Union of Domestic Workers Offices Khaled Al-Dakhnan says the domestic worker issue is an important issue for Kuwaiti society, as nearly every household employs a domestic worker.  Al-Dakhnan explained that domestic worker recruitment from Ethiopia was suspended after the Ethiopian government issued a decision to impose a new salary structure, which violates the previously agreed terms. This new salary rate is specific to Kuwait and is the highest in the Gulf region.

Al-Dakhnan attributed the decision to irresponsible statements made by individuals without legal authority or experience in recruitment, as they called for salary increases without understanding the potential consequences. He further emphasized the need to hold accountable those who make such declarations without a legal basis. Al-Dakhnan revealed that the total number of domestic workers in Kuwait exceeds 400,000, with around 3,000 new domestic workers being recruited every month. He stressed that Kuwaiti law is one of the best in terms of worker protection, a fact recognized and praised by exporting countries, adding that the union has made consistent efforts to resolve this issue from the start, and that the government has worked to remove all obstacles.

Al-Dakhnan explained that the root cause of price manipulation by some offices is the decision to set fixed prices. Neither Kuwait nor the exporting countries are concerned about this issue, as many of these countries impose higher commissions on their offices, which lead to the recruitment of less skilled and lower-quality workers. The concerned authorities’ actions against the manipulating offices are legal, and their efforts must be appreciated. He affirmed strong support for deterring any office that violates the law, and commended the role of the workforce in this matter. Al-Dakhnan stressed that setting fixed recruitment prices does not benefit either the sponsor or the office owner, nor does it strengthen the spirit of competition between offices, as it instead forces offices to recruit workers who may not meet the required standards. He said only a few countries allow offices to recruit their workers, and these countries are bound to Kuwait by memorandums of understanding. Al-Dakhnan called on the government to open recruitment to additional countries and establish new memorandums of understanding for recruitment.

Regarding recruitment from the Philippines, Al-Dakhnan confirmed that there are no issues with recruiting from the Philippines, but it is not possible to recruit an inexperienced worker who has never worked before. He added that this is a matter specific to the Philippines, and he hopes for a clear understanding to facilitate recruitment in this regard. Al-Dakhnan praised the Workers’ Shelter Center, describing it as one of the best centers in the Middle East. He highlighted that the center hosts domestic workers who have disputes with their sponsors until they are deported to their home countries. Al-Dakhnan also called for the union to be involved in meetings related to the recruitment of domestic workers, affirming the importance of considering the union’s opinion and experience in this field. He expressed hope that the union would be granted additional powers to help open new countries as sources of domestic workers, as well as to raise awareness among employers about their rights and obligations.