KAUST Discrimination
I’ve never been to KAUST, I’ve driven by the construction site more times than I could remember, but I’ve read a few posts talking about what goes on with the “discrimination” between the residents and the working staff and all that, and if anything, it just struck me as culture shock.
There is a huge economic divide in the world, there are rich countries, and there are poor countries, most people go on through life not even seeing the other side (yet they might wear clothes and shoes, or use equipment, electronics, etc made by them), and if a person from a rich country decides to visit one of the poor countries, he/she visit a resort that is dirt cheap (to them), but out of the range of most people who live in the country… well actually, the only locals they find there are the ones working in it, not staying.
The GCC, is in the middle of those two worlds, and in the GCC those two worlds get to see, and live next to each other and sometimes with each other, very close extremely close, and also interact, which might not be a shock for the poor workers as much as it is to the new generation of the new kids who came to Saudi (not all of course).
I will not get into the bad conditions of the workers compounds or the treatment they receive, those things should be rectified… I will not delve deeper into that… the world is not fair… I sometimes wonder why I was not Diddy’s son or the son of peasants in China, but as Bob once sang “every man thinks that his burden is the heaviest“
Should the workers get to play on the courts? well, next time you are in a five star resort anywhere in the world, ask the person that parks your car (if you use the parking valet) or the concierge to play a game of tennis with you or lift some weights and see what they say the rules are, I am almost sure they are told not to socialise with the guests.
They say the GCC salary categories are not fair, and it could be argued either way, but what I know is that any employer would only pay as much as he thinks would attract and retain an employee and not a cent more, and that is what all the countries in the GCC have done. Does that make GCC countries or corporations better or worse than the other countries or corporations that operate sweatshops in Asia to make shoes for a few dollars and sell them for hundreds? or make shirts for cents and sell them for much more than what they are worth… ethical debate… yes it is… at least to me.
I know they teach a class called employment law… and that women do not receive equal rates in big corporations (President Obama signed an Equal Pay for equal work bill in January 2009), and that when women become directors of companies, the stock price falls… so is the world fair?
I am not defending anyone or making fun of anyone’s opinion… this is just a little of how I see the world.
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May 15, 2010 @ 20:49:58
Very objective and makes sense actually.
Nice post
May 17, 2010 @ 10:54:08
thanks Duaa and welcome to the blog
May 15, 2010 @ 21:55:55
“every man thinks that his burden is the heaviest“
Maybe it’s because I’m not a man so this excludes me, but I’ve never thought this. I have often pondered the fact that I am very blessed by God. I could have been born into any number of families and societies in this world where I would struggle and hurt and have few if any opportunities to succeed … or even make it to my 30th birthday.
I talk to my Syrian friend and sometimes hit upon this topic. I wonder why God blessed ME by putting me into a “free” country whereas for him, he lives in a police state where even innocent things such as Facebook and YouTube and my blog are banned! Yet even he knows he has it much better than millions of others who are struggling every day just to survive.
The Bible says to whom much is given of him much will be required. I think I’m not given a lot so I can be selfish and build my kingdom here on earth. I’m not here only to acquire nice cars, lovely clothes, a big house and every new gadget. I’m blessed by God so I can bless others. It’s a responsibility, not something I can waste. I’m a steward of God’s “stuff” and when I remember this (something I often fail to do), I can keep this life in perspective and realize life after death is much much longer. THAT is the life we all need to prepare for. Sadly, quite often we are more concerned only about this temporary life. One hundred years from now, this life won’t matter much. But the next one will matter completely.
Boy, did I get preachy. Oops. Guess that’s what happens when I read this within 30 minutes of waking up too early on a Saturday.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I still think it would be nice if the workers could play basketball against the KAUST students during their free time. It seemed harmless enough and I never cared when employees were treated kindly.
May 17, 2010 @ 10:57:00
I also did not see anything wrong with a little b-ball, but this was not about that.
Thanks for the sermon Rev Susanne
May 17, 2010 @ 23:49:56
*blush* Sorry. I was thinking of a post I read from an American named Nathan who wrote about the b-ball thing a few days ago. I apologize. I should stop replying to blogs when I first get up.
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May 17, 2010 @ 12:41:13
I have read details of the workers camps in Saudi and they aren’t pretty, but then again neither are the details of conditions in many third world countries, or certain areas of North America (native reservations, slums) or Europe (ghettos). Mexicans wouldn’t be risking the border and life as illegals if there weren’t systemic wage discrimination and a lack of labour protection built into Nafta. At the time Nafta was signed the hourly minimum wage in Canada was $5. The daily minimum wage in Mexico was $5 (cost of living is different too of course). Canadian workers were and are protected by powerful union agreements with maximum hours, health benefits, pensions, and worker safety standards built in. Nafta made Canada raw materials suppliers, Mexico cheap labour manufacturers, and the US the beneficiaries. Hence, illegal immigration to the US from Mexico for decent pay, even as illegals, and the loss of Canadian manufacturing so long ago it was part of why we have weathered the current economic storm relatively well.
The Italian film Pane e cioccolata(1973) is a brilliant yet comical look at the very real and tragic conditions of immigrant workers in Switzerland, and a classic one for discussion of labour exploitation. The psychology of the Italian immigrant worker, as he desperately tries to survive, to pass, to manage to send money home, and to do so without family support, is convincingly rendered. Given the year of the film, one can easily understand that the places have changed but the dynamic hasn’t.
I agree that the biggest factor in working conditions and remuneration is what the market can bear–ie the least possible given manpower needs and resources. When the workers from certain countries become too expensive to hire, they are replaced with others happy to work for less. Hence, Sri Lankan and Indonesian maids in the place of Filipina ones (have formed associations and successful campaigned for hire pay–trouble makers in other words) in Hong Kong, for example.
More immediately apropos, the biggest factor I see in the Western bloggers’ outrage about KAUST discrimination is a lack of exposure previously to poverty as a way of life, not as a temporary tourist inconvenience, and of exposure to living in highly stratified societies–like those from whence the guest workers in Saudi come. Despite knowledge of conditions in Saudi the workers prefer life there with its economic advantages, to working in their home countries. Somewhat like the Mexican illegals, in the US.
It doesn’t mean that certain social structures shouldn’t change; it just means that Westerners need to contextualize their Saudi experience better.
May 21, 2010 @ 12:35:11
I don’t know the background story, but I would just like to comment that often someone’s situation might force them to accept terms that are less than fair. That doesn’t make it ethical for the the other party to impose these terms or conditions.
An educational establishment should not be run the same way as a luxury resort, so the analogy is not really valid, in my opinion.
May 21, 2010 @ 13:38:13
Sharaf, our new Dr
I do agree with what u r saying, I am mearly stating the facts, maybe now when u go back and work at KAUST (are you considering it? I mean have you applied?) you will see what I mean. The camp is an Aramco camp, and if you’ve been into an Aramco camp, you would know what I am talking about.
thanks for making your comment
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