Dismissed trainees carry on stir on Alba premises

Protest continued yesterday on Alba premises, opposing factory’s decision to terminate the contract of some vocational trainees. The dismissed trainees, members of Alba Labour Union as well as board members of the union participated in the protest, which was held in front of the administrative building of Alba.

“Our intention was not to affect production at the plant. Therefore, we staged protest during shift changing hours,” said Head of Media and PR of Alba Labour Union, Abdulla Al Moaraj about the protest, which was held between 6am and 6.30am. The protest came a day after at least 50 Bahraini employees of Alba walked from the factory to Labour and Social Development Ministry in Zayed Town to protest against the termination. Al Moaraj said the protest would continue on Sunday also.

“We will continue our protests until we reach an amicable solution.” He said as per the contract, the trainees were supposed to join as Alba employees on completion of their training period. “They were required to serve Alba for a minimum period of two years, failing which they would be obliged to repay the training expenses incurred during the training period. But the management took the decision of terminating their contracts,” Al Moaraj explained.

He said that the Labour and Social Development Ministry had assured them that a joint meeting, including labour union leaders and management representatives, would be held soon to solve the problem.

“But the Ministry has not given any invitation to the union so far.” Alba already clarified that it had notified all vocational trainees on Wednesday that their contracts would expire as per the terms of the contract.

“All vocational trainees need to undergo an assessment, as per their respective contracts and shall be offered employment upon successful completion,” it said.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee member and parliamentarian Khalid Al Shaer on Wednesday said that 44 of the terminated trainees would be reinstated within a couple of days.