Crown Prince orders setting up of specialized labour courts at the labour ministry office

Shaikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), has ordered the establishment of specialised labour courts at the Ministry of Labour (MoL) office in the emirate in order to achieve the strategic objectives of Ras Al Khaimah government and to enhance integration with the strategic goals of the Federal Government and its quest to raise workers’ satisfaction as one of the important community sectors. H.H. directed to the need to provide all the required judicial services in the Ministry of Labour office to the targeted clients whether they are workers, employers or lawyers, who then will not be required to go to the headquarters of the RAK Courts. The Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah also asserted that the UAE leadership is very keen to save time and efforts, expedite procedures, and protect the rights of workers for being a very critical segment in the process of development and building a sustainable economy. From his side, UAE Labour Minister Saqr Ghobash stated that the establishment of a specialized labour court in RAK Ministry of Labour office reaffirms the keenness of the UAE under the leadership of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan – may God protect him – to strengthen the rule of law and institutions, and the separation of authorities and protection of labour rights, as well as protecting the interests of the employers on the principle of safeguarding the litigation rights of disputing parties, in light of the speedy settlement of labour cases in order to facilitate services for conflicting parties. H.H. added that this step is an embodiment of the integration of roles between the federal and local government and the continuous development of the strategic partnerships among them in a way that meets the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. H.E. Saqr Ghobash appreciated the guidance of H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, stressing the commitment of the Ministry of Labour represented by its office in Ras Al Khaimah to the coordination and cooperation with those in charge of the Labour Court thus contributing to the ease of registering labour cases and striving to find amicable solutions between the conflicting parties through legal researchers working in the ministry and the referral of disputes that can not be resolved to the court to decide and adjudicate in them in accordance with the law regulating labour relations. H.E. also reiterated the keenness of the Ministry of Labour to provide a decent life for workers and avoid staying unemployed without financial income during the period of litigation by allowing them to work for other entities under temporary work permits until the adjudication of the cases before competent courts. From his side, Chancellor Ahmed Mohammed Al Khatri, Chairman of RAK Courts Department praised the decision and said that the establishment of specialized labour courts at the headquarters of the Ministry of Labour in Ras Al Khaimah aims to shorten litigation procedures and reduce the time periods of labour cases, driven by the achievement of the strategic directions of the Government of Ras Al Khaimah, which urge to achieve legal protection for workers and individuals and to increase cooperation between local and federal governments, as well as the pursuit of one of the strategic objectives of the Ministry of Labour, which is “to ensure the interests of production parties and protect the workers in line with the international labour criteria, and the national laws that respect the human rights principles”. Al Khatri added that the rapid growth rate which is currently seen in the state calls for relying on a growing number of foreign workers which should be available with a mechanism to ensure justice and speed in resolving conflicts and in the adjudication of the cases associated with them – Pointing out that the average time period of labour cases has seen a positive improvement during the previous three years in RAK courts, as it decreased from 132 days in 2011 to 101 days in 2013, and then to 75 days in 2014. It is also noted that the percentage of labour cases that are referred from the First Instant Court to the Court of Appeal are very low, which indicates a high level of workers’ satisfaction of judicial judgments regarding their cases.