AFP

Muscat, July 10: The government of Oman has allowed the formation of labour unions, which will have the power to represent and defend workers’ rights, an Omani newspaper reported on Sunday. A decree issued late Saturday by Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed stated that “labourers will be able to form syndicates that aim to protect their interests and defend their rights,” Al Shabibi daily said.

The decree also bans employers from firing or penalising labour representatives on the grounds of their union activities, it added.

It also allowed in principle -- and for the first time -- the organisation of “peaceful strikes”, but said that a ministerial decision will be issued to set the rules for such action.

Labour in the sultanate previously had only representative committees, which enjoyed less powers than labour unions.

“Transforming labour representative committees to syndicates is a great achievement for the labour force,” said Abdul Azim Al Bahrani, the head of the general labour representative committee.

The private sector employs some 150,000 Omani nationals in this Gulf state that also hosts some 600,000 expatriates who come mostly from the Indian subcontinent.