Bahrain Mirror: The Nationalist Democratic Society criticized the "Labor Market 2023-2026 plan" recently approved by the government, noting that "the plan is completely devoid of Bahrainization rates and determining the minimum wage," considering that "solving the unemployment problem in Bahrain needs a political decision that favors Bahrainis."

The society said in a statement on Thursday, July 13, 2023, that "despite the resonant statements marketing the National Action Plan for the Labor Market 2023-2026 and despite all the slogans and repeated demands raised by MPs, societies and the General Federation of Trade Union that the government abandons the wide-open economy policy approach, which has severely harmed the country and the economy, this approach has extended to the labor market with the government's insistence on the absence of any clear policies of Bahrainization and insisting on leaving companies free to hire however they want."

"Most companies prefer cheap foreign labor, as they hired 84,000 workers between 2019 and 2022 who entered Bahrain with a tourist visa and then turned into employees and workers, let alone those who were hired from abroad."

It pointed out that "the plan didn't mention the application of policies such as imposing specific Bahrainization rates in sectors or establishments, or the application of the policy of restricting some jobs to Bahrainis, or setting the minimum wage, replacement policies and other policies that have become common and applied in the Gulf States."

"This means that all the Ministry of Labour and the government will do over the next four years is to 'encourage' companies to hire Bahrainis while giving them the freedom to hire however they want unconditionally, and this means exacerbating unemployment rate in the country," it added.

The Nationalist Democratic Society considered that "solving the problem of unemployment in Bahrain needs a political decision that announces the abandonment of the wide-open economy approach and a commitment to an economic approach that favors Bahrainis, especially low- and middle-income groups."

Arabic Version