Search “sandwich preparer”: the job offer of a fast food chain in the United Arab Emirates sparked outraged reactions on social networks, while the prosecution announced the opening of an investigation on Saturday.
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This offer was posted by the Emirati group Kamal Osman Jamjoom for the Subway fast food chain, specially designed for Emirati nationals, “to support the state’s efforts to localize jobs”.
Because from January 1, a new law obliges most large private sector companies in the United Arab Emirates to hire Emirati nationals for skilled jobs, under penalty of a fine.
The offer of a “sandwich maker” has been badly digested in this wealthy Gulf country whose nationals mainly occupy stable and relatively well-paid jobs in the vast public sector, 90% of the private sector workforce being expatriates, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO).
“It’s mockery”, got carried away a surfer on Twitter.
“The lack of administrative, financial and technical jobs has led to the creation of ‘sandwiches’…. Oh, what an era!” Added another in a tweet shared hundreds of times.
Other netizens, however, felt there was no shame in taking on such jobs, with an Emirati noting on Twitter that US billionaire Jeff Bezos started out as an employee at McDonald’s.
The United Arab Emirates’ Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that an investigation had been opened, finding that “the job offer had violated both Emiratization rules” and “media legislation, as it included a contentious content”, in a press release, without further details.
The job advertisement was later taken down and Kamal Osman Jamjoom Group apologized, saying a “translation error” had resulted in incorrect wording.