UAE Insta-Museums' Labor Woes

The United Arabs Emirate's plans for securing instant prestige in the global museum game by paying the Lourve $500 million to $1 billion for the Louvre’s name, expertise and the loan of artworks, has run up against the growing concern by international watchdog organizations for the working conditions migrant workers are forced to endure as Dubai and especially Abu Dhabi explode in new building projects. The Guggenheim, which is also building yet another satellite there is also being asked to stay aware of the concern. From Artnet.com:

Human Rights Watch [HRW], the New York-based nonprofit whose causes include banning both landmines and the use of child soldiers, is keeping its eye on both the Guggenheim and Louvre museums. In separate statements issued on July 19, 2007, Human Rights Watch urged the two museums to protect the rights of laborers working on the construction of their new branches in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island cultural complex.

A recent HRW report asserts that the building boom in the United Arab Emirates is based on the abuse of South Asian migrant workers, who face "wage exploitation, indebtedness to unscrupulous recruiters, and working conditions that are hazardous to the point of being deadly." The nonprofit further calls on both the Gugg and the Louvre "to require that its UAE partners not withhold workers’ wages, not confiscate passports, document and publicly report work-related injuries and deaths, and forbid recruiters from unlawfully collecting recruiting, travel and visa fees from workers," as well as guarantee workers’ rights to bargain collectively, form unions and strike.

HRW has brought its concerns to the attention of Guggenheim Foundation director Thomas Krens and Guggenheim board chair William Mack as well as Louvre director Henri Loyrette and France’s then-culture minister, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres. According to HRW, no response has yet been received.

Emotions run high on both side of this controversy, with workers striking (illegally) to protest conditions and UAE citizens arguing the whole thing is being blown out of proportion. Here's a sample of the opposing opinions posted in response to an article on the topic on the BBC website:

The Dubai dream for thousands of South Asian migrants becomes a nightmare after spending a few months there. The workers and labourers are underpaid and treated almost like slaves. Draconic rules exist. For example the employer takes the passport away from the immigrant worker. Hopefully, with the economies of South Asian countries improving and booming in the coming years, the workers will not have to slave in other countries to make a decent living.
Subbu Ramanathan, Indian, USA

The entire gulf region has grown on the sweat and blood of third world labourers who are paid atrociously low wages - some of them have to wait for 4-5 months before they are paid. There is a high level of suicides amongst such labourers, but nothing gets reported. The discrimination in offices is outrageous and frustrating. It is shocking that Dubai is being seen as a shining beacon when the truth is it has only grown to this level because it has discriminated on poor people...making thousands of lives miserable and wretched.
Peter Walters, Milton Keynes

Your article is ill conceived, lacks depth and is premature. I would highlight that competitiveness of Dubai has made pay scales fairly equal with many Asian expats in senior and strategic positions commanding competitive salaries. Globalisation drives this issue not 'quality' euphemism. Now that you are returning to your own country, you might highlight the gross and indecent inequalities and educate your readers about it. What beguiles me is the irresponsible manner in which journalists have painted Dubai with their particular brand of criticism, simpleton statistics without much substance and comparison. Exploitation was far worse not so long ago (pre 2nd and 1st World War) in the country that you worked in recently and across the Atlantic. Certainly, the many expats from Asia would not have to be here if their own countries could provide for them. You have also missed the point the many tens of billions of Dollars that are repatriated which sustains millions and provides a far more promising future. Your article has done a gross injustice to your country men and to the many that who have made their livelihood, a possibility that would not exit in their own countries. UAE has applied much change towards improving the conditions of employment and is taking major and rapid steps and I am confident that the present leadership has the vision and the goodwill to implement on an ongoing basis.
Mehboob Hamza, UAE

I've never been to the UAE, but folks I know who have suggest the problem, if it's as widespread as reports claim, is far from view for most people, so I'm hesitant, especially from the comfort of New York, to climb on too high a horse about all this. I'm still somewhat bemused by the notion of buying another nation's reputation for culture, and I've gone on ad nauseum about the imperial pitfalls of the Gugg's global land grab, but I think there's too little evidence to out-and-out condemn the UAE for offering immigrants jobs just yet. And there's certainly no evidence yet that either museum has facilitated any abuse or turned a blind eye to it, so it's prudent to simply note this is a concern HRW wants them to stay aware of, not an accusation of any wrongdoing.

Still, it is good to remember that all empires are built on the blood, sweat, and tears of the poor. Further, the $500 million to $1 billion Abu Dhabi is willing to spend to avoid having to build a reputation for their museum the old-fashioned way would certainly go a long way in the South Asian countries they're accepting workers from.