By MOHAMMED AL A’ALI
A CALL for a probe into complaints by water desalination workers that they are being exposed long-term to dangerous chemicals went out from the General Federation for Bahrain Trade Unions yesterday.
The Electricity and Water Ministry employees are demanding a danger allowance for their exposure to chemicals, which they claim are badly stored, making them even more dangerous.
The federation now wants an independent investigation committee, including federation and workers’ representatives.
It wants the committee to issue safety recommendations and to propose a suitable danger allowance.
By MOHAMMED AL A’ALI
A CALL for a probe into complaints by water desalination workers that they are being exposed long-term to dangerous chemicals went out from the General Federation for Bahrain Trade Unions yesterday.
The Electricity and Water Ministry employees are demanding a danger allowance for their exposure to chemicals, which they claim are badly stored, making them even more dangerous.
The federation now wants an independent investigation committee, including federation and workers’ representatives.
It wants the committee to issue safety recommendations and to propose a suitable danger allowance.
The federation and the unofficial Electricity and Water Union (government unions are not authorised by law) are demanding more attention to health and vocational safety.
“A lot of government establishments have health and vocational safety problems, in particular the electricity and water sector, which involves doing work that may be harmful on workers,” the federation said in a statement released yesterday.
“This is why it is necessary to have danger allowance, as other government employees are getting it for less dangerous jobs.”
The federation also urged the government to accept the formation of government unions.
Without them, workers can’t defend their interests and call for better work conditions, it said.
“We hope that decision makers at the Electricity and Water Ministry will sit with union officials to listen to their demands, to come up with solutions that would help develop this active sector,” said the federation.
“This will ensure that the workplace is safer and more productive at the same time, which will certainly benefit the workers and people getting those services in the end.”
alaali@gdn.com.bh
