Who's Listening?

Kuwait Trade Union Federation

Kuwait Trade Union Federation

The Kuwait Trade Union Federation was founded in 1968. It is affiliated with nine public sector unions and six oil sector unions. To many migrant workers, KTUF is their sole hope of being heard and making changes to what is an abysmal work environment for them. KTUF directly works with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, they represent the migrant workers of Kuwait and advocate the abolishment of the Kafala system and call for standard human rights.

Expatriate workers office

In 1993 the "expatriate workers office" was established under the umbrella of KTUF with the guidance of general secretary Abdulrahman AlGhanim. It is a medium for migrant workers complaints and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. Ask AlGhanim where is the solution and he will tell you MOSAL, ironically ask him what is the obstacle and his answer wont change. MOSAL hold the ultimate power to improve the living standards of migrant workers, that is in fact the basis of their establishment. KTUF are powerless compared to MOSAL, all they can do is look at the complaints and try to work them out. The purpose of MOSAL is to bring justice to migrant workers whose rights have been violated but not find solutions. That is left to a union that is limited in its resources, both human and financially. Migrant workers would be lucky to know about MOSAL let alone KTUF, and those who do have access to them would be lucky if they are ever heard.

I will try to explain unions in Kuwait, the process of filing a complaint through KTUF and their likely outcomes in the video link below.

KTUF