Mock PR CAMPAIGN – Labour of Love Labourers in the UAE comprise a large percentage of the market. It is important that their needs, as well as the needs of the organizations be taken into account to formulate a solution that will be beneficial to both parties. It is in benefit of the entire country that a hospitable environment be created for these workers. Apart from it being a moral duty of organizations, it is also a matter of respect for humanity, and must be taken into account by any organization while employing labour.

1. Furthering the Cause of Labour
Rights and Welfare in the UAE.
P R C A M PA I G N – L a b o u r o f L o ve
Group Members:
Nikita Arora
Rachel Lewis
Sakina Umme Abiha
Mitthi Singh
Zuhair Mohammed

2. CLIENT
• The campaign is being undertaken to supplement
the efforts of and promote the operations of
‘AdoptaCamp’, a campaign initiated by Pakistani
national Saher Sheikh, to improve the lives of
labourers in the UAE.

3. About the client
• AdoptaCamp currently supports 35 camps and
over 9000 men in Dubai, Sharjah, and Fujairah.
• It strives to serve the basic needs of the workers
including sufficient food and comfortable shelter
with proper hygiene, as well as provide
accommodations and money to send home.

5. RELEVANCE OF THE CAMPAIGN
• Minimum wage not sufficient, inflexible.
• Prohibition from organizing unions, bargaining
collectively, and going on strike.
• Labor regulations do not cover certain groups.
• Discrimination against women.
• Threat of deportation faced by expat workers.
• ‘Kafala’ system.

7. AIM OF THE CAMPAIGN
• Promoting by all means possible; benefits for workers in the
UAE by endorsing the activities carried out by ‘AdoptaCamp’
including;
Improvement in working conditions.
Increasing awareness about workers rights and needs.
Persuading organizations to stick to minimum wages.
Taking care of basic necessities.
Creating loan repay schemes.

8. MEDIA STRATEGY
• Posters, flyers and a brochure will highlight the requirement
of such a campaign.
• Letters to the editor & articles will keep the public informed
about any updates regarding the campaign.
• Radio, television and press interviews will bring to light
personal opinions and first hand experiences of the workers.
• Seminars and Event sponsorships will further propagate the
issue at hand.

13. Samples of media strategy elements
Letter to the editor
Give workers safe, clean places to stay
Failure to comply with UAE policies for laborers' welfare should invite swift action
Gulf News
Published: 00:00 August 8, 2010
There is no question that the aim of providing clean, humane and safe accommodation
is a welcome step given that some companies have yet to comply with the
government's rule on the matter. Since it adopted a policy aimed at improving the
general living conditions of workers, the UAE has taken various measures to meet the
objective……

14. There is no question that the aim of providing clean, humane and safe
accommodation is a welcome step given that some companies have yet to
comply with the government's rule on the matter.
Image Credit: Gulf News Archive

15. Article
Woman commits to improving life for workers
By Megan Hirons Mahon, Staff Photographer
Published: 00:00 August 21, 2010
Shaikh is the founder of the AdoptaCamp programme, which works to
improve the lives of UAE labourers. She has teamed up with the Biryani
Kabab House in Sharjah's Sajaa Industrial Area to provide free Iftar meals for
a 100 workers a night for the whole of Ramadan. The workers think highly
of Saher Shaikh. Wakas Riaz, 23 is a labourer from Pakistan and is
one of the few at the meal who speaks English. "We are coming every
other night to the iftar," he says. There is no water or electricity where
he lives with 35 other men.

16. Saher Sheikh with workers
Workers show Saher Shaikh the rusty water dispenser that is their only source of
drinking water in their accommodation.
Image Credit: Megan Hirons Mahon/Gulf News

17. Emirates News is the most balanced and credible source of English-language local
news on television.
It airs from a state-of-the-art News Center in Media City & speaks to the concerns of
all communities living in the UAE, providing breaking news stories, in-depth
reports, and covering relevant events from Dubai and around the world. Their
dedicated team of field reporters have, their finger on the pulse of the city and on
the latest issues affecting our lives

18. Dubai Today - 0900-
1200. Talks about topical
events and issues in
Dubai with audience
participation via text
message, phone
calls, and occasional
guests in the studio.

19. Event
• A seminar will be held that will invite important members of
organizations (In the UAE) that employ labour on a large
scale and encourage them to improve working conditions
and facilitate workers’ welfare.
• Saher Sheikh will be present to enlighten the audience
about her contribution in the field and what the
organizations can do to further the cause.
• Voluntary donations will be collected.

20. CRISIS MANAGEMENT
• The campaign will be analyzed to ensure that no activities of
the campaign offend the feelings, emotions, or policies of the
country (organization) or its leaders
(members/employees/employers).
• A PR professional will be hired to reach levels of mutual
compromise.
• Positive press coverage will be arranged.
• Maximum efforts to ensure smooth execution.

21. EVALUATION STRATEGY
• To monitor the impact of the campaign:
Interviews with members of labor organizations.
Interviews with workers.
Giving the workers a platform to discuss their
problems and look for solutions.

23. CONCLUSION
• Labourers in the UAE comprise a large percentage of the market.
It is important that their needs, as well as the needs of the
organizations be taken into account to formulate a solution that
will be beneficial to both parties.
• It is in benefit of the entire country that a hospitable
environment be created for these workers. Apart from it being a
moral duty of organizations, it is also a matter of respect for
humanity, and must be taken into account by any organization
while employing labour.