Date: Friday 18 December 2015
UNISON, Scotland’s biggest trade union, has written to the Scottish band Simple Minds asking they speak out for migrant workers rights in Qatar.
UNISON supports the TUC Fair Play for Qatar campaign which is highlighting the poor working conditions of migrant workers who are building football stadiums and infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup.
Simple Minds are booked to play a gig in Qatar on 29 January
Simon Macfarlane, UNISON international committee spokesperson, said
“Workers are being drafted in mainly from India, Nepal and Bangladesh and forced to live in squalid conditions, paid as little as 45 pence an hour and work in a very dangerous environment. Almost 1000 workers have died in Qatar building infrastructure for the world cup and if nothing changes the death toll could be as much as 4000 by the time the World Cup starts in 2022.
Simple Minds have an excellent record in supporting Human Rights across the world. They were leading campaigners against South African apartheid. And songs like Belfast Child and Mandela Day are loved for their message as much as anything else. It would be great if they highlighted the plight of migrant workers in Qatar”
END
UNISON Contacts
Simon Macfarlane 07703 194132
Danny Phillips 07944 664110
Notes
TUC Fair Play Qatar campaign https://www.tuc.org.uk/international-issues/countries/qatar
Letter from UNISON Scotland international committee to Simple Minds is online here:https://unison-scotland.org.uk/international/