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Global unions have slammed FIFA’s offer of a “courtesy visit” to the Emir of Qatar as “totally inadequate,” following shocking revelations that hundreds of construction workers have died during preparations to host the 2022 FIFA Football World Cup.

In the two years since the ITUC first outlined to FIFA the poor treatment of migrant workers in Qatar, an average of 600 workers have died there, the ITUC reports. Furthermore, the ITUC estimates 4000 workers will die in Qatar before the start of the World Cup if no action is taken.

"Workers' from countries including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and increasingly Africa are used as forced labour, denied the right to join a union, live in squalid living conditions and often are not paid the wages they are promised. Scores of healthy young men are dying. This web of deadly practices draws in international companies, the Government of Qatar and FIFA," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

"Qatar's damage limitation exercise will not resolve the problem of forced labour in Qatar. The promise to recruit inspectors to police defective laws which cannot even be enforced under their kefala migration system will not stop workers dying in Qatar. Nor will engaging a law firm for an 'independent review' make any real difference."

"The settlement of this global dispute is dependent on actions by FIFA and the political will of the Qatari authorities, which are still absent. FIFA's offer is an insult to the bereaved families," added Sharan Burrow.

UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings added, “A global event of this stature has no excuse for such shocking violations of human rights.

“Nothing will bring back the workers who have lost their lives, but FIFA, all construction companies involved and the Qatari authorities are absolutely obliged to act to make workers’ rights a non-negotiable aspect of delivering the World Cup. A token visit to the Emir offers these workers no hope at all.”

FIFPro, the world professional footballers’ association, has called on the international football community to act with solidarity to ensure that the World Cup in Qatar is only delivered in accordance with football’s universal values as set out in the FIFA Statutes.

FIFPro, the representative of over 50,000 professional footballers, collaborates closely with the UNI Global Union, the voice of 20 million service sector workers around the world.

Brendan Schwab, FIFPro Division Asia Chairman and a FIFPro board member, said the FIFA Statutes expressly commit all involved in the world of football to promote friendly relations in society for humanitarian objectives and to fight discrimination of any kind.

‘The 2022 FIFA World Cup was awarded to Qatar to promote football and, more importantly, football’s universal values in the Middle East. This can only be achieved if Qatar respects the rights of the key people who will deliver that World Cup: the workers who build the World Cup stadia and the players who play in them,’ Schwab said.

UNI Global Union is fully backing ITUC calls for legal and political solutions that plan to “give workers their rights and create the conditions for a safe World Cup in 2022.”

The ITUC is calling for:
· An end to the Kefala system so workers can change employers, and freely leave the country
· Passing of national laws allowing freedom of association for migrant workers giving them the right to form and join trade unions and collectively bargain for fair wages and safe work
· An overhaul of the grievance procedures for labour complaints
· Work with international recruitment companies to clean up the mass recruitment of migrant workers

"FIFA has the power to make workers' rights a condition of Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup. There is still time to rerun the vote to choose a venue which respect workers," said Sharan Burrow.