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Workers protest at MoL, demand wages

They approached the ministry yesterday to seek help after the company failed to honour its promise to pay the delayed wages and other financial dues . A grace period of 10 days given to Al Rahi Construction Company to settle the issue.

The workers said: "We were here 10 days ago and we filed 52 complaints to the MoL and the company promised to pay the delayed wages, but we did not get anything from them so far."

Another worker said: "We were 52 workers last time and today we are 79. Another 27 workers have joined us with the same problems."

An official of the company said part of the dues had been paid to the workers and the rest of their entitlements would be paid later. "The company has paid two months salary to the workers and we promise they would get their delayed wages later, "Majed Abu Zohdi, a site manager of Al Rhi Construction Company, told Khaleej Times. The complaint involved several problems such as four-month delayed wages, end-of-service gratuity, overtime, air tickets, and some labourers who do not have labour cards. The claim filed to the MoL by the 79 workers explained that the current sponsor does not have money and he wants to cancel all their visas.

"We do not have money now and we need to get just our full rights before cancelling of our visas,'' Omran Yousef a Pakistani said. Another worker said, "The company wants to cancel for us without giving us our financial rights, and we need someone to protect us. He claimed that the company settled the problem with just six or seven workers.

Qassim Jameel, Head of Inspection Dept. commented: "The ministry does not allow the companies to delay the wages or the financial rights of the workers, and the key factor of the inspection measures is to check on payment of wages, overtime, and end-of-service gratuity."

"We only allow the delaying in case the work sites are at a distance and the delay in this case should not exceed 15 days.

He stressed that there is a ministerial decision that enables the workers to transfer their sponsorship to another company without referring to the current sponsor in case of delayed salaries. Jameel noted that in case the company does not honour its pledge to pay the delayed dues, the ministry would take strict procedures against it. Penalties will be imposed according to the Federal Law No. 8 for year 1980.

Ahmed Al Basher, a legal adviser in the MoL, told Khaleej Times that if the company wants to settle the problem with the workers, the sponsor must pay at least two months pending wages, and another two months' wages next month.

"In case, Al Rahi decided to cancel the visas of the workers the company has to pay them all their dues according to the labour law."

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