NDAS opposes wage cut, will pay twice-sacked vice president a fixed amount every month
Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter
In an unprecedented move, the National Democratic Action Society (NDAS) has set up a fund to assist Postal Workers Union vice president Najeeha Abdul Ghaffar.
This is the first time a political society has created a fund for a unionist. Najeeha will be paid a fixed amount from the fund which has been contributed by society members.
NDAS opposes wage cut, will pay twice-sacked vice president a fixed amount every month
Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter
In an unprecedented move, the National Democratic Action Society (NDAS) has set up a fund to assist Postal Workers Union vice president Najeeha Abdul Ghaffar.
This is the first time a political society has created a fund for a unionist. Najeeha will be paid a fixed amount from the fund which has been contributed by society members.
“Najeeha was not paid when she was suspended for 10 days on two occasions this year. This wage cut is not acceptable,” society secretary general Ibrahim Sharif told the Tribune.
Najeeha was suspended for her union activities and hobnobbing with the Press. She resumed work last month and her case is pending at the labour court.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has sent an open letter to His Majesty the King, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to order her case closed.
The letter says the postal office administration evaluated her performance as poor last year and froze her salary indefinitely.
The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions also took up her case during a meeting with Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and sought his intervention.
A shadow report prepared by four local unions and submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlights the cases of Najeeha and other sacked unionists.
Last year lawmakers approved a proposal to reinstate 13 unionists sacked because of their union activities.
According to the 2001 Trade Union Law, government workers cannot form unions, but according to the new draft law referred to the government, multiple unions can be formed in companies.
The federation has opposed multiple unions saying such a move would encourage sectarianism.
According to the federation, 20 protests were staged