UAE protests over ‘sandwich maker’ job offer

Search for a “sandwich maker”: A fast-food chain’s job offer in the United Arab Emirates sparked outrage on social networks, while the case announced the start of an investigation on Saturday.

Emirati group Kamal Osman Jamjoom released the offer for a Subway fast-food chain designed exclusively for Emiratis to “support the state’s efforts to localize jobs”.

Because from January 1, a new law requires the largest private sector companies in the UAE to hire Emiratis for skilled jobs, subject to fines.

The offer of a “sandwich maker” is poorly digested in this wealthy Gulf nation, whose nationals mainly occupy stable and relatively well-paid jobs in the vast public sector, with 90% of private sector workers being foreigners, according to the International Labor Organization. (ILO).

“This is a travesty,” tweeted a surfer.

“Lack of managerial, financial and technical jobs led to the emergence of ‘sandwiches’…. Oh, what an era!” Another added in a tweet that has been shared hundreds of times.

However, other netizens felt there was no shame in taking on such jobs, with one Emirati noting on Twitter that American billionaire Jeff Bezos started out as a waiter at McDonald’s.

The UAE’s public prosecutor’s office announced that an investigation had been launched, saying the job “violated both Emiratisation rules” and “media law”, in a press release without further details, which contained a controversial content.

The job ad was later removed and the Kamal Osman Jamjoom Group apologized, saying a “translation error” had resulted in the wrong wording.