Probe over ‘workers deported’ allegation
By Alistair Baptista
Published: 7th September 2007
OFFICIALS are investigating allegations that four workers were deported and six others are being held under guard in company quarters, after complaining about their wages. Four Indian cleaners were allegedly deported on Wednesday night after being detained by MBM Alam Flora security staff when they threatened to inform their embassy about deductions from their wages.
They were among 10 men allegedly detained at the company quarters in Khamis.
It is understood that the other six are due to be deported in the next few days.
Probe over ‘workers deported’ allegation
By Alistair Baptista
Published: 7th September 2007
OFFICIALS are investigating allegations that four workers were deported and six others are being held under guard in company quarters, after complaining about their wages. Four Indian cleaners were allegedly deported on Wednesday night after being detained by MBM Alam Flora security staff when they threatened to inform their embassy about deductions from their wages.
They were among 10 men allegedly detained at the company quarters in Khamis.
It is understood that the other six are due to be deported in the next few days.
An embassy official, who would not be named, said that the embassy had no knowledge about the matter, but would “look into it.”
The workers were allegedly detained after objecting to cuts from their wages and telling management that they wanted to go to the embassy.
They arrived in Bahrain two months ago and say they were each promised a monthly salary of BD70 by their agent in Tamil Nadu.
But they claim they are being paid a basic of only BD45 a month and are then made to work four hours overtime each day.
This takes their salaries up to BD71 a month, for working 12-hour days, say the men.
“We had told the manager how much we were supposed to get and when he didn’t agree, we wanted to go to the embassy,” said one of the men, who didn’t wish to be named.
“We are scared because our agent has threatened to attack us when we reach the airport back in India.”
He also alleged that none of the men had been paid their last month’s salaries and that the company had deducted BD10 as visa charges.
Each had also paid the agent 65,000 rupees (BD600) before arriving in Bahrain, said the worker.
Manager Abdul Kasem denied the allegations.
Migrant Workers Protection Society action committee head Marietta Dias, meanwhile, said that the society hadn’t been approached for help and could not comment without knowing full details. MBM Alam Flora is responsible for refuse collection and cleaning in the Northern, Southern and Central municipalities, but is being replaced following repeated complaints about its performance.
© Gulf Daily News
