Strikers ‘violated the law’
By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 7th March 2007
THE Indian employees from a Bahrain consulting company, who marched to the ministry in Isa Town last month seeking better wages, have violated the labour law and could face prosecution, the Labour Ministry said yesterday.
“These, and other such employees, who take the law into their own hands, skip work and employ such means to air their grievances, risk being dismissed from service, without benefits and face other action as well,” Labour Inspection Section head Ahmed Al Kabaz told the GDN.
“There are other ways to get their demands met and there is a law to be followed in getting their views across.”
Strikers ‘violated the law’
By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 7th March 2007
THE Indian employees from a Bahrain consulting company, who marched to the ministry in Isa Town last month seeking better wages, have violated the labour law and could face prosecution, the Labour Ministry said yesterday.
“These, and other such employees, who take the law into their own hands, skip work and employ such means to air their grievances, risk being dismissed from service, without benefits and face other action as well,” Labour Inspection Section head Ahmed Al Kabaz told the GDN.
“There are other ways to get their demands met and there is a law to be followed in getting their views across.”
He was reacting to scores of employees of Saleh Abdullah Kameshki, a contracting company, marching to the ministry on February 26, alleging they are being paid much less than they were promised and had been made to sign blank papers several times.
The employees, after registering their grievances at the ministry, had marched to the GDN, Sanad, to voice their demands and held a brief demonstration.
A source in the ministry told the GDN yesterday they have investigated the labourers’ allegations and, prima facie, come to the conclusion they had no case.
“With the evidence we have at our disposal, we are reasonably sure that their employer has not violated the law,” he said.
Company director Nedham Saleh Kameshki said he regarded the employees’ actions “totally unwarranted and illegal”.
“They have misled me, the Labour Ministry and the Press,” he told the GDN.
“I had been summoned to the ministry and have explained my case to all the concerned officials.
“I have shown them copies of all agreements that I have signed with the employees and they have found nothing wrong.”
Mr Kameshki said the employees had first marched to the Indian embassy and complained to the labour officer there.
“They responded by talking to me and after I explained the matter to them, suggested to the employees to approach the ministry,” he said.
Mr Kameshki said he would not be a stumbling block for any employee who finished his contract and left.
“If they finish their contract and leave, I will give them all benefits and a ticket,” he said.
Mr Kameshki said the allegations that he had made employees sign blank papers were “preposterous”.
Mr Kameshki said that the few employees had pressured the others to go on strike.
“The trouble-makers have been instrumental in these arm-twisting tactics but I have now been vindicated.”
The employees had alleged in their complaint to the ministry that labourers were told they would be paid BD60 a month, but were being paid just BD45 while the skilled workers (craftsmen), who were promised BD80, were taking home BD60 to BD70. They had also alleged they had never seen any employment contract and had never signed on an agreement.
© Gulf Daily News
