Jim Kerr and co urged to speak out about the death toll of World Cup workers in Qatar when they play there next month

Scottish rock superstars Simple Minds have been urged not to forget about migrant worker rights in Qatar.

The band are due to play in the Arabic country on 29 January.

Unison Scotland is urging the Jim Kerr-fronted rockers to use the occasion to speak out about the plight of migrant workers who have been drafted in to build stadiums and infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup, which will be held there.

There has been widespread condemnation of working conditions and the high death rate of workers.

Unison Scotland, which backs the TUC Fair Play for Qatar campaign, says Simple Minds have a track record of speaking out about human rights abuses – for example, in apartheid South Africa, and urged them not to stay silent now.

Simon Macfarlane, Unison’s international committee spokesperson, said: “Workers are being drafted in mainly from India, Nepal and Bangladesh and forced to live in squalid conditions, paid as little as 45p an hour and work in a very dangerous environment.

“Almost 1000 workers have died in Qatar building infrastructure for the world cup and if nothing changes the death toll could be as much as 4000 by the time the World Cup starts in 2022.

“Simple Minds have an excellent record in supporting human rights across the world. They were leading campaigners against South African apartheid. And songs like Belfast Child and Mandela Day are loved for their message as much as anything else. It would be great if they highlighted the plight of migrant workers in Qatar.”