End racial wage discrimination
Dear Sir,
Discrimination is defined as “action that denies social participation or human rights to categories of people based on prejudice”. Discrimination is practised in various sectors and fields and among various groups in our world. But here I would like to focus only on wage discrimination among people who work in Qatar.
If no one speaks about issues like these, they will go unnoticed and later on they will be taken, wrongly of course, as the norm.
I have found that on an average, if you’re an Asian holding a professional job in Qatar, you can expect to earn 26% less than a Westerner who is doing the same job as yours. And if you’re an Arab, you can expect your salary to be 15.7% less than your Western colleague.
If a person is doing his work properly and efficiently, employers should pay a wage that he/she deserves, regardless of his race and colour of his skin.
A discriminatory salary policy creates a host of problems for both the company and the staff it employs. It leads to conflicts among staff members and affects their morale. Productivity suffers. It also harms the company’s strategy and goodwill.
Success in the long-term comes only to those companies which pay salary to its staff based on their performance and rank and not on racial grounds. But sadly in Doha, many employers are yet to grasp this truth.
Niyaz, (Address supplied)
Be kind to others always
Dear Sir,
I don’t agree that there are “disadvantages of being kind” as letter-writer C Robinson believes ( “Be kind... and firm too”, February 24, Gulf Times). Doing kind things for others helps build co-operation, trust and a sense of safety in our communities.
“Be kind to others, so God will be merciful to you,” it is said.
By being kind, no one loses anything and everyone gains. I don’t think kind people will not be obeyed as feared by Robinson.
Kindness means mercy, unselfishness, love and affection.
In fact, teachers should be more merciful to pupils and in return students will respect and obey them more.
Abdul Kareem E T, (e-mail address supplied)
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