1800 Construction Workers Not Paid Salary for five Months

Hotel employees agitated over sacking

Dubai-February 4, 2003 Around 1,800 construction workers in the UAE have complained that their wages had not been paid for five months - a regular feature of the construction sector in the GCC countries. The construction workers walked en masse to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs - but police intercepted them halfway and persuaded them to continue with just a small delegation of ten representatives.

Acccording to Lieutenant Colonel Dr Jamal Al Marri, Director of the Bur Dubai Police Station, the workers had complained that their living conditions were very bad. "They also claimed that they had not received proper medical care or food. Around 900 workers, mostly from the subcontinent, gathered at 5am in the Al Quoz Industrial Area. Another group of almost the same number gathered in the Al Ghusais area. The group at Al Quoz area started to make their way to the Ministry of Labour but police intercepted them on Sheikh Zayed Road. There they reached an agreement with the police to send only ten members representing them to the ministry. According to Lt Col Al Marri, police are currently handling the issue and have contacted the owner of the company. "We are negotiating payment of the workers' dues and hope to reach a settlement soon," he said.

Meanwhile, nearly 34 hotel employeesin the UAE filed a case with the Labour Dispute Section at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs against a hotel, alleging that the hotel unjustly terminated their labour contracts. The 34 employees said in the complaint that they demanded their salaries, benefits and labour rights, but the owner and the manager rejected them. The Labour Dispute Section referred the case to the Dubai Courts Department which is looking into the matter. The workers claimed since they did not receive their benefits for more than six months, they decided to file the complaint in the first week of December last year.

According to Anil Kumar, Indian, one of the affected workers, the hotel used to pay for our accommodation in Deira, but when the agreement expired on December 31 last year, the hotel stopped paying for accommodation . Three days ago the landlord entered the flat and threw out furnitures and other belongings.

Qatar crash kills American

DOHA: One US armed services member was killed and three were injured in a traffic accident in Qatar, the US military said yesterday. The accident occurred at5 .30pm on Saturday as the four were returning from Doha to Camp As Sayliyah. A spokesman said he believed at least two vehicles were involved, but he had no further details.

Indian embassy forms on web

Registration forms for Indian nationals are now available at the Indian Embassy website. Visitors can download the form from http://www.indianembassy-bah.com The filled forms can either be faxed to 715527 or deposited at the embassy, officials said yesterday. The registration campaign has been launched by the embassy in association with various Indians clubs and organisations, to collect details of the Indian community in case of any eventuality.

Federal bank officials in Gulf Tour

SHAJI Jacob and S Unnikrishnan, officials of Kerala-based Federal Bank, will be in Qatar from February 4 to 7 as part of a Gulf tour. This was announced by Chandrasekhara Herle, general manager of National Exchange, who will host the two officials in Qatar.The team will have interactive sessions with customers of the bank. National Exchange will also hold a meeting of bank customers, Herle said. Federal Bank, headquartered in Aluva, Ernakulam district, has more than 415 branches.