US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT766

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000766 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, DRL (JDEMARIA), NEA/PI (SFRANCESKI) 
STATE PASS USTR FOR B. CLATANOFF 
USDOL FOR JIM SHEA 
ABU DHABI FOR MEPI 
US MISSION GENEVA FOR JCHAMBERLIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, ETRD, KMPI, PREL, ECON, PHUM, PGOV, MU, International Organizations 
SUBJECT: OMAN APPOINTS -- NOT ELECTS -- ILO DELEGATION 
 
REF: MUSCAT 534 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  In an unexpected turn of events on May 4, the Minister of 
Manpower retreated from promised committee-wide elections and 
instead personally appointed a National Committee to 
represent Omani labor interests at the International Labor 
Organization (ILO) Conference in June.  Disappointed, 
workers' representatives nonetheless continue to network with 
newly established committees throughout the country to 
provide mutual support and identify challenges ahead.  In 
addition to requests to us for technical assistance on a 
variety of basic topics, the committees have also expressed 
concerns with ambiguities in the 2003 Labor Law. 
Representatives have formally requested the Manpower Ministry 
to provide clarification on protections for employees taking 
part in committee activities, how the committees are to 
operate, and future plans for the now-revised National 
Committee.  End summary. 
 
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NO TIME FOR ELECTIONS 
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2.   On May 4, Manpower Minister Juma bin Ali bin Jumaa, 
citing time pressures, canceled the plan for national 
elections this month to select a National Committee to 
represent Omani labor interests at the International Labor 
Organization (ILO) Conference beginning May 31.  This 
unexpected decision to appoint the National Committee instead 
comes just weeks after the Minister, in consultations with 
Deputy Under Secretary for Labor Arnold Levine, reiterated 
his firm commitment to hold committee-wide elections by 
mid-May to form Oman's first elected delegation for 
representation at the ILO (reftel). Worker representatives 
who were fervently hoping for national elections by May 4 are 
frustrated with the appointments and concerned that the new 
committee may not adequately represent worker interests at 
the ILO.  They are particularly troubled that human resource 
managers from some of Oman's largest companies, including 
Omantel and Port Services Corporation, hold 8 of the 11 seats 
on the committee.  (Note: Human resource managers are seen by 
many rank-and-file members as essentially representing 
management, rather than labor, interests.  End note.)  The 
following 11 individuals were appointed to the new National 
Committee for a term of two years: 
 
Abd al-Azim bin Abbas al-Bahrani 
Director of Human Resources Omantel 
 
Sa'ud bin Ali Abdulla al-Jabri 
Engineer, Petroleum Development Oman Co. 
 
Muhammad bin Abdulla Rashid al-Rasbi 
Engineer, Oman Air 
 
Anwar bin Abd al-Rahman al-Khinjari 
Director of Human Resources, Muscat Intercontinental Hotel 
 
Nabhan bin Ahmad Muhammad al-Battashi 
General Affairs Officer, Grand Hyatt Muscat 
 
Sa'ud bin Ahmed Abd al-Karim al-Nahari 
Executive President of Port Services Corporation, Port Sultan 
Qaboos 
 
Muhammad Hamad Salim al-Ruzaiqi 
General Manager of Human Resources, Galfar Engineering 
 
Muhammad bin Khamis bin Ghaloum al-Khabouri 
Assistant Human Resources Manager, Al Hasan Group of 
Companies 
 
Rashid bin Sa'id Abdulla al-Hashmi 
Personnel Manager, Sa'ud Bahwan Group of Companies 
 
Abd al-Mahdi bin Abd al-Baqi al-Lawati 
Personnel Manager, Al Zubair Group of Companies 
 
Abdulla bin Salim Sa'id al-Araimi 
Manager of Human Resources, Suhail Bahwan Group of Companies 
 
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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
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3.  Cognizant of the challenges that lay before them, worker 
representatives continue to network with newly established 
committees throughout the country to support one another and 
identify challenges ahead.  Representatives have expressed 
particular interest in learning more about committee 
experiences in the region and welcome any opportunity to meet 
with counterparts from Bahrain and Jordan.  They are keen to 
participate in workshops or seminars that would cover such 
fundamentals as the basics of committee establishment, 
charter development, methods of operation, and ensuring 
committee financial solvency.  Avenues for assistance have 
been highlighted in all facets of organized labor and 
represent significant opportunities for developing long-term 
relationships with organizations such as the AFL-CIO, the 
Solidarity Center, the Middle East Partnership Initiative 
(MEPI), and the Department of Labor (DOL). 
 
4.  In addition to their requests for technical assistance, 
the committees have also expressed concerns with what they 
say is ambiguity in the 2003 Labor Law.  Lead representatives 
from the committees have formally requested that the Ministry 
of Manpower provide further clarification in the following 
areas: 
 
NATIONAL COMMITTEE - How and when will the National Committee 
will be elected?  Where will its premises be? What will be 
its exact duties?  Will members of the Committee's 
administrative body serve full-time? 
 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE - What technical assistance needs have 
been identified at the MOM and how and when will assistance 
be offered? 
 
EMPLOYEE PROTECTION - Will the MOM establish a mechanism to 
provide protection to members of representation committees 
against arbitrary dismissal as a result of their committee 
activities? 
 
FUNDING - What avenues are available for committees to 
collect contributions for the representation committees and 
the National Committee?  Moreover, will companies be expected 
to facilitate contributions by employees and/or provide 
support during a committee's establishment? 
 
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COMMENT 
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5.  Sending an elected delegation to the ILO in June would 
have been a significant and ambitious development in labor 
relations in Oman.  The general feeling among disappointed 
committee members is that the elections were an opportunity 
lost at a crucial point.  Recognizing the challenges that lay 
ahead, both within the nascent committees and at the equally 
inexperienced Ministry of Manpower, representatives 
nonetheless continue to be proactive in soliciting support 
for technical assistance to learn about labor experiences in 
the region and in laying the foundation for stronger and more 
effective representation in the future. 
BALTIMORE