The TUC has launched the campaign – Playfair Qatar – to draw football fans into the protests against Qatar’s treatment of the workforce building the infrastructure for its 2022 World Cup. The campaign will complement other campaigns already running by bringing in new allies.
Fans – many of whom are also trade unionists – are as outraged as anyone that Qatar’s lax health and safety and repressive “kafala” laws are likely to lead to 4,000 deaths before the 2022 World Cup begins. Football fans are considered such an important constituency in the battle of the hosting of the World Cup that Qatar has paid a PR agency to set up a “grass roots” blog which also serves as a platform for character assassinations of anyone criticising the country.
The TUC on the other hand, is working with organisations like the Football Supporters’ Federation to get the word out that Qatar’s new laws and promised regulations mean nothing if they’re not enforced, and that pressure must be maintained until we see proof of change (preferably through the legalisation of unions for migrant workers).
The ultimate aim is to build a broad coalition of support to help with future union campaigning and lobbying aimed at construction companies, sponsors and governments.
In discussion with the fans’ groups, the TUC has developed a photo action to allow football fans to express very simply their support for the campaign and get them involved.
We are seeking photos from:
- Groups of fans, hopefully outside matches
- Individual fans (in team tops) or groups of fans from offices, branches etc
- Fans from rival teams “uniting” over the issue (as in the example above)
- Recreational teams before matches
- and indeed any other ideas you might have.
The TUC has put the basic components in place, and many fans’ groups have agreed to participate, but we need more help to the promote the campaign.
Please do all you can to spread the word about the action and encourage people to send in photos.
The campaign website – very much focused on drawing in fans – can be found by clicking here.
It would be very helpful if you could also like us on Facebook and follow and promote the Twitter feed @PlayfairQatar
The simple message signs can be downloaded here.
Photos can be sent to photos@playfairqatar.org
