There are concerns about the working conditions of migrant workers in England’s Qatari luxury hotel, where the Three Lions will be staying during the World Cup finals.
England’s bolthole will be at the five-star Souq Al Wakra Hotel. The tournament begins November 21.
The beachfront complex, where rooms can cost up to £300-a-night, was selected by manager Gareth Southgate after assessments of team bases prepared by the Qatar authorities for the 32 participating nations at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Southgate chose the perfect location for the 101-room hotel, as it was close to both the beaches and the venues used in the tournament.
But former workers have told human rights investigators that some staff at the Souq Al-Wakra hotel, 10 miles south of the capital Doha, only received around £9 per day for their labour and the hotel refused to pay overtime, despite employees saying they must work for 12 hours in busy periods.
Also, it is claimed that migrants from certain countries receive more favorable treatment than those from other countries. For example, staff from Arab nations are given preference over workers from Bangladeshis or Nepalis.
Gareth Southgate, England Manager has selected a low-key base
Equidem has made the claims to Equidem less than four months prior to when hotel staff is expected to be waiting for England officials and players.
Qatar’s hotel industry has grown at an amazing rate in order to be able to host the World Cup. A large portion of Qatar’s workforce comes from two million migrants who support the state’s small economy.
Equidem is a specialist in the treatment and protection of migrants workers. It says that current employees often fear speaking out in Qatar because they are afraid of losing their jobs.
But, Equidem has talked to the staff of the Souq Al Wakra Hotel over the past 2 years. One person who left recently. Equidem has now asked FIFA and the Football Association for more information about the workers’ treatment at their chosen accommodation.
Mustafa Qadri (CEO of Equidem) stated, “We’re seeing workers not being sufficiently paid and not being compensated overtime.”
England hopes to replicate the spirit of previous tournaments to help them thrive.
One of those who spoke out was a former supervisor from the Souq al-Wakra. He claimed that overtime wasn’t paid at the hotel.
One member of the team, who said he was thereuntil a few months ago, claimed some workers from Asian countries only received the legal minimum of 1,000 Qatari Rials per month, which equates to around £10 per day, while those from Arabic countries were paid more, it was claimed.
Qatar established a minimum wage at 1,000 QR in 2013. Employers are expected to pay board, lodging and food allowances of 500QR, and 300QR for accommodation.
The new law was welcomed at that time by human rights organizations as a positive step in the right direction even though it was low.
The England team features some of the highest-paid players in the Premier League, including Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling, who earn around £300,000-a-week and John Stones, who is believed to receive £250,000 for seven days’ work.
Qadri does not judge players’ earnings but, given the size of the tournament, and the potential profits, he feels that the migrants are being overlooked.
The families of players will be able to rent accommodation in the nearby coastal village.
This hotel, which is five-star and luxury but also less costly than other alternatives, has a luxurious feel.
Workers are working for very little, but others will reap the rewards. FIFA itself is set to make more than £3 billion and the hotels themselves, which are booked up throughout November and December, can expect big profits.
It is important to ask why their wages are so low. These hotels can be expensive and FIFA, as well as corporates and FIFA, have spent millions on this tournament.
“Qatar is among the richest countries.” How can these workers be so low-paid?
Sportsmail The Souq al Wakra was contacted and they detailed specific concerns that workers had with Equidem. These included payment of a minimum salary of 1,000QR per monthly, no overtime payments, and preferential treatment to workers on the basis of nationality.
This resort lies alongside Al Wakra’s newly constructed souq with easy beach access.
Emad Nabilsi, general manager at the hotel said in a statement that the hotel was following all instructions and procedures of Qatar’s Supreme Committee with regard to hiring and working during the FIFA World Cup.
“All team members are treated equal and fair, regardless of race, nationality, ethnicity, or religion. The country’s policies regarding recruitment and salary are followed. All are eligible for the same promotion opportunities.
Amnesty International called the FA ‘completely deficient in courage’ last month to condemn human rights abuses at Qatar.
Since FIFA’s controversial appointment of Qatar as host for the 2014 blue riband tournament, the tournament has faced numerous reports about human rights concerns. The preparations for the tournament saw the deaths of thousands of migrants who worked in building roads, cities, and stadiums.
Many people may have died from heat exhaustion, but it is possible that they were. In many cases post-mortems weren’t performed and there was no detailed record of the deaths.
Migrant workers in Qatar are now entitled to minimum wage of £9 per day under new rules
Construction workers complained about cramped living conditions
Migrant workers in Qatar were paid £200-a-month to work in intense heat ahead of World Cup
Now the focus is on the working conditions of hotel employees, who will be serving more than one-million fans, officials and staff as well as thousands of players, sponsored by FIFA, national teams and sponsors, over the course the competition.
Multiple investigations have found widespread violations, such as low salaries, overtime unpaid, working long hours, poor living conditions, and other abuses.
‘[There is also a]The phenomenon that workers come from backgrounds with low income [they]Can’t manage, [are]Qadri who is an expert in the field said that they are not receiving the same promotions or bonuses as others.
‘There is a lot of talk about… Arabic-speaking workers being selected for the higher roles. This is a matter of racial discrimination.
England has been vocal about discrimination, taking the team to the ground before each match to bring awareness. The players also have suffered from vile abuses at matches abroad and on social media.
Qadri hopes these people will also be curious about what’s happening in Qatar.
Natural causes account for most deaths of migrant workers.
He said, “The England football team was an inspirational young team. They take the knee against racism rightly.”
Gareth Southgate, along with his team, said that it would send “a powerful message” if Gareth Southgate spoke out on Qatari workers’ treatment and engaged directly in discussions about this issue with human rights activists.
Gareth Southgate, who was criticised by the FA for June’s actions, defended his players saying that there’s ‘a lot’ going on behind-the scenes.
“They make a stand everytime they speak,” he stated.
Captain Harry Kane met with the other teams to discuss how they could present an united front on the human rights issue at the World Cup.
Jordan Henderson, an experienced member of the Squad, had earlier in this year described Qatar’s human rights record as “shocking,” disappointing, and horrible following an FA briefing.
Equidem calls on football’s governing bodies, to look closely at the situation in Qatari hotels and the Souq al Wakra.
Qadri stated that FIFA, FA, and England should take the initiative. They need to be able to verify the information from independent sources. This is an extremely serious concern.
“We are open to talking to the FA to discuss how we can help them get the truth.”
“And workers who are experiencing problems should receive compensation. England’s football team and the FA should be leading this effort. You could really make a difference.
Qatar’s labour reforms have been under scrutiny worldwide. Qatar has established eight centres to educate migrants about their rights and abolished Kafala, which allowed employers to have almost complete control of workers’ immigration status.
Equidem and other rights organizations acknowledge that steps are being taken but remain concerned about the practices in place.
A spokesman from Qatar’s government stated that the Qatari government had issued a statement following a report on the abuse of worker rights. The Telegraph was informed by a representative of Qatar: “Qatar repeatedly claimed systemic reform doesn’t happen overnight, and changing the behavior of all companies takes time. It is a fact that Qatar has not come this far as any other country.
Norway protested Qatar’s human rights record in 2022 World Cup host Qatar with t-shirts