Carrefour is opening an investigation into working conditions at its Saudi franchise partner Majid Al Futtaim, following warnings from Amnesty International.
Overworked migrant workers
A report issued by the human rights organisation says that employees at Carrefour supermarkets in Saudi Arabia are overworked and underpaid, based on the testimonies of seventeen men who worked at branches in Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh over the past three years. Most of them were workers outsourced by employment agencies, working 60-hour weeks without rest days and sometimes be required to work unpaid overtime. Being migrant workers from Nepal, India and Pakistan, the workers were especially vulnerable.
Carrefour has asked its franchise partner to conduct an internal investigations into workers and subcontractors in Saudi Arabia, the supermarket chain explains to Reuters. An independent expert has been appointed to investigate not only the issues of the report, but all human rights activities and requirements.
