Reforming Accommodation for Foreign Workers in the Workplace

The housing conditions for foreign workers are set to improve. Currently, many workers live in dormitories where beds are so close that they lack privacy, with beds often overlapping in the same room.

The Ministry of Labour, led by Reza Uteem, announced that a new regulation called the Central Lodging Regulation will soon be presented to the Council of Ministers.

The goal is to establish decent living spaces that meet international standards and move away from the poor conditions reported in recent years.

Under this new regulation, operators will need to obtain licenses to build proper dormitories.

These facilities must meet specific criteria, including minimum room sizes, adequate sanitation, and cooking facilities.

Once a dormitory is approved, its owner can rent out rooms or entire floors to different companies.

This means foreign workers won’t have to stay on site at their employer’s location or in unsuitable housing—they will be housed in approved dormitories, making arrangements more convenient and humane.

This initiative aims to address employers’ struggles to find suitable accommodation for their workers and to improve living conditions for the workers themselves.

Are the Standards Clear and Adequate?

However, some concerns remain. Syndicalist Fayzal Ally Beegun questions whether the proposed standards truly reflect “international norms.”

Having served on the board overseeing dormitories, he criticizes the current criteria used to judge whether a housing unit is compliant.

For example, when inspecting some dormitories, he notes that the close proximity of beds is often justified by measurements, but argues that workers need space to move freely.

He warned against dormitories resembling “human chicken coops,” emphasizing the importance of decent living conditions.

Beyond regulations, Beegun is apprehending a commercial shift. He is questioning whether these dormitories might become just business ventures, with little attention paid to maintenance over time.

He cited the example of a dormitory at Star Knitwear, where lockers were broken and the refrigerator was in poor condition.

Beegun also warned against converting unsuitable buildings like garages or old stables into dormitories, stating that workers are humans, not livestock.

Proposed Improvements

Beegun advocated for simple but essential measures: rooms should not have more than six beds, and must include enough space, good ventilation, and privacy.

He even made a provocative comparison, noting that prison cells abroad often have beds, sinks, and sometimes even TVs, and suggesting that some workers’ dormitories are worse maintained than prison facilities.

He recommended practical steps to improve workers’ living conditions, such as hiring local Mauritian staff to maintain the dormitories, ensuring the security of workers’ belongings during working hours, and allowing union inspections of the facilities.

Beegun insisted that transparency is key—“we must see what’s happening behind the walls.”

Finally, he stressed the importance of regularly renewing equipment like mattresses, kitchen utensils, and appliances.

Every group of workers deserves a clean, functional dormitory with basic comfort—not just a building with beds, but a more humane living space.

Source: l’Express