Search “sandwich preparer”: the job offer of a fast food chain in the United Arab Emirates sparked indignant reactions on social networks, while the prosecution announced the opening of an investigation on Saturday.
This offer was posted by the Emirati group Kamal Osman Jamjoom for the fast-food chain Subway, specially designed for Emirati nationals, “to support the state’s efforts to localize jobs”. Because from January 1, a new law obliges most large private sector companies in the United Arab Emirates to hire Emirati nationals for skilled jobs, under penalty of a fine.
The offer of “sandwich maker” has been badly digested in this rich Gulf country whose nationals mainly hold stable and relatively well-paid jobs in the vast public sector, 90% of the private sector workforce being expatriates, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO). “It’s mockery”, got carried away a surfer on Twitter. “The lack of administrative, financial and technical jobs has led to the creation of ‘sandwiches’…. Oh, what an era!” Added another in a tweet shared hundreds of times.
Other netizens, however, felt there was no shame in taking on such jobs, with one Emirati noting on Twitter that US billionaire Jeff Bezos started out as an employee at McDonald’s. The Public Ministry of the United Arab Emirates announced the opening of an investigation, considering that “the job offer had violated both the rules of emiratization” and the legislation “on the media because it included content contentious”, in a press release, without further details.
The job ad was later taken down and Kamal Osman Jamjoom Group apologized, saying a ‘translation error’ resulted in incorrect wording
Search “sandwich preparer”: the job offer of a fast food chain in the United Arab Emirates triggered indignant reactions on social networks, while the prosecution announced the opening of an investigation on Saturday.
This offer was published by the Emirati group Kamal Osman Jamjoom for the fast food chain Subway, specially designed to…