Working in the Arab Gulf for 8.5 years, most of the time surrounded by Indian, Pakistani and Philipino workers, I've become accustomed to some of the difficulties of working in the region principally poor living conditions, low pay, and the heat. I know someone who was so poorly paid that he was scarcely able to send money back to his family in India, even though he had been in his position for 30 years. His monthly income was about US$300 per month, if that. Of course, I raised the matter with management, which was not the thing to do. That is the way to get into trouble. I ended up being pulled up on the road while in a car, but that only proved to be a close shave.
I've met Nepalese women cleaning the toilets- starting at 6am finishing at 10pm- all for a small wage. But for them it's better than nothing. That way of thinking is being exploited- all over the world. It's just more noticeable in the Arab Gulf. What about in the UK? What about in the US?
Many of these workers send their money home; remittances are an important reason for living in the Gulf. But will it continue?
This article in the Financial Times, for which I used to work for a subsidiary, mergermarket, explains why.
Go to: https://www.ft.com/content/c3643aca-4c2f-11e7-919a-1e14ce4af89b
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