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87 workers gather at recruitment agency’s office seeking wages

SHARJAH — A group of 87 Indian labourers working with a Jumeirah-based company gathered at a recruitment office in Rolla yesterday demanding the payment of their wages for October amounting to Dh50,000 in total.

The workers blamed the recruitment company for the non-payment of wages and accused it of exploiting their illegal status in the country.

Dismissing the allegations, an official from the Sharjah company said, “It’s true that employing labourers without visas is illegal in this country, but it’s widely practised. However, we want them to keep calm and solve the issues amicably. We don’t want any of them to be deported.”

One of the workers said, “The payment of our wages was almost always delayed. Sometimes we don’t get our salaries at all. The recruitment company is indifferent to our plight. They treat us this way because they know we don’t have visas. So we can’t report the matter to the police and the labour office.”

A Sharjah Police official told Khaleej Times that the police are aware of all activities within the emirate. “The police are currently investigating the case and will prepare a report. The case will soon be referred to the Department of Naturalisation and Residency.”

A top official from the Sharjah Department of Naturalisation and Residency said the department had launched inspection campaigns targeting labourers who are working in the emirate illegally.

“Since August and during Ramadan, inspectors arrested a large number of illegal workers in Rolla and various other areas,” he added.

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