Aauthorities intervene as unpaid wages spark protest in Sitra
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Reported by Zahra Ayaz
Hundreds of workers at a Sitra-based construction firm protested yesterday, demanding prompt payment of their unpaid salaries. As police intervened and removed the demonstrators from the scene, the situation deteriorated.
The police recommended the workers register complaints against the company. Over 340 workers took part in the demonstration, alleging that they had not been paid for at least five months.
The workers underlined their severe situation, claiming that they are having significant difficulty fulfilling basic requirements such as food and water owing to the unresolved salary problem.
They said that for the past five months, they had been continuously demanding payment, either in full or permission to quit and leave the country. It was discovered that the bulk of the striking workers have worked with the firm for more than 20 years.
One protesting worker, a Pakistani national, disclosed that he had not been paid between January and April. He stated that several employees have already resigned from their employment but have yet to be compensated.
Furthermore, the company reportedly refused employee vacation requests. The worker said that they had reported the problem to the police a few weeks earlier, but that no action had been undertaken.
Following the incident yesterday, police brought a few workers to the station and took their complaints and vowed to respond within a week. The worker also stated that the Pakistani Embassy had stepped in to help.
"They have asked us to email them all of the issues and the names of the affected workers." Similarly, after hearing concerns from their citizens, the embassies of India and Bangladesh intervened. In addition, a complaint was filed yesterday at the labour court. "We hope to hear back within the next week," he added.
The protesting workers, on the other hand, thanked the government officials' support while emphasising the importance of resolving this matter as soon as possible. Attempts to reach the company's management via phone were unsuccessful.
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