The UAE Penal Code (Law No. 3 of 1987, as amended) makes it a criminal offence for anyone to found, join or participate in a Trade Union or to participate in a labour strike. In 2013 hundreds of construction workers were deported from the UAE because of conducting an illegal strike.
However, the UAE Labour Law contains a workforce disputes procedure under which employees may collectively submit a written complaint to the Ministry of Labour which will appoint a labour committee to investigate the complaint and conciliate between the employees and the employer.