Previously, migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates had no choice but to accept their paltry working conditions, low wages, and broken employer promises. But this year, thousands have walked off construction sites, blocking roads, marching in protest to the Labor Ministry or simply refusing to work. The protests have galvanized the Labor Ministry into cracking down on the offending companies, saying they are tarnishing the reputation of the country.
See "Migrant Laborers Build Arabian Metropolis", Associated Press, The New York Times, November 1, 2005