More protests if Kannan Ravi fails to pay by Saturday

DUBAI - Ninety-five workers of three companies owned by Kannan Ravi have protested yet again as their employer has failed to honour his promise of paying their salaries pending for four months.

By Eman Al Baik

Published: Thu 13 Oct 2005, 10:43 AM

Last updated: Wed 19 Oct 2022, 2:59 PM

They plan to wait until Saturday hoping that the owner will pay their salaries, failing which they will stage a protest march to the Indian Consulate.

Workers from the three companies owned by Kannan — Noor Al Arab for Electro-Mechanic (75 workers on contract), Shomookh for Electro-Mechanical (31 workers) and Saqr Deira for Building Maintenance (24 workers) — protested yesterday at the Al Satwa area where they have been provided accommodation as they have not been paid their salaries.

The workers were apparently unaware of the recent agreement reached by the owner with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Dubai Labour Affairs Committee.

Speaking on behalf of the workers, Subramaniyam Kadhiresan said that the owner was supposed to pay the salaries last Wednesday.

"One week has elapsed and he did not pay any of us even a penny. We do not want to work any more with the employer. We want to go back to our country or get sponsorship transfer," he said. "Today the employer had put a condition that he will not pay the salaries unless the workers resume work for him. 'But none of us is willing to stay with him. We want our full salaries,'' he said.

Kadhiresan noted that the employer wants to hold on to one months' salary with him as insurance. ''But why the insurance when we do not want to work with him?'' he asked. "We will wait. If nothing happens until Saturday we will march and complain at the Indian Consulate," he said.

The employer was supposed to first pay his 130-strong workforce the salary for one month, pay two months' salaries on Saturday and hold on to the fourth month's salary as insurance.

Bringing the protest to the notification of the ministry, an inspector at the Labour Inspection Department said: "None of the ministry's inspectors could attend the salary payment session which was supposed to be at 12 noon. We have shortage of inspectors and yesterday all of the inspectors were involved in other assignments.''

The Ministry and the Committee had chalked out a schedule for payment of salaries that the employer should implement, he said, adding: ''We are not supposed to attend, but we are doing that to ensure implementation (of the agreement) and that workers get their rights. If the employer failed to fulfil the chalked out schedule, legal action will be taken against him."