- Malayali Carpenter commits suicide for non payment of salary
- Malayali commits suicide in Muscat due to labour problem
- Visa Racket Active, 35 Indians duped by Recruitment Agent
- Posted Feb 5, 2002
Indian Embassy helpless?
Malayalis on strike against non payment of salary, repatriation, seek NORKA help
More than 200 employees of ELCO in Oman face bleak future.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM; Jacob from Thodupuzha and Thomas from Mavilikkara have been working in Elco, a company that makes oil tankers, in Ghala, near Muscat in Oman. Relatives of many workers like them from Kerala, are worried because they are unable to come back to India. Several workers from Thodupuzha, Mavelikkara, Puthupally, Thengana, Vazhoor and parts of Kerala are stranded in the Gulf and the workers are now engaged in a strike against the management for non payment of salary for nine months, renewal of visa and labour card and repatriation back to India by paying their air ticket and end of service benefits. Many other workers from India are said to be in the same situation.
They have already approached the Indian Embassy for help. Since the company is not keen to settle the matter, Embassy appears to be helpless in solving the problem. It is learned that the company officials are not even willing to talk to the Embassy on the issue. Now the workers relatives are planning to approach NORKA for getting support from the Kerala Government. Each worker is to get at least one lakh rupees each of their pending salary.
About 200 helpless employees of the company have been running from pillar to post to get their salary dues for at least nine months and repatriation back to India. About 50 workers of ELCO, have been sitting in front of the company office in Ghala for the last few days demanding justice from the company management and implementation of labour office directives. Many of them who have resigned from the company are simply sitting in their labour camp awaiting justice from the Labour Department, the Indian Embassy and the company management.
'For about nine months, my son is not paid his salary properly,' says the mother of one of the Malayali workers stranded in Oman. Two months back, the agitated workers went on mass strike, approached the Indian Embassy and the Labour Court. Under pressure from workers, the company was instructed to clear the pending salary by paying at least 1 and half months salary on 20th of every month. The company respected the agreement for two months and again things were back to square one.
Ironically enough, a large number of workers who were brought on visit visa by the company have become illegal workers because their visit visa is not converted into work visas. About 50 workers were brought to work there by a Bombay based subcontractor who has failed to send them back to India even two months after completing their work. A secretary who was brought on visit visa by the company is idly sitting in his room, awaiting repatriation back to India. Now if they want to reach India, they have to pay an amount equivalent to Rs.2000 per day as fine for staying in the Gulf country without labour card and visa. Even though it is the company's responsibility to clear their dues and send the workers back to India, the management is not showing any interest to solve the problem, said a workers' relative. They say that even the company General Manager is brought from India on visit visa.Two months back, the workers went on strike and all of them went to the Labour office in Muscat. However, the police stopped the workers and took them back to the company. As per an agreement brokered by the local police, the Arab sponsor agreed to pay their salary and repatriate them back to India. Many of the workers who are due to go on leave are also denied ticket and salary. Even though a complaint is lodged with the labour office, the sponsors did not turn up for four hearings.
The Embassy officials pretend ignorance and helplessness because the Arab sponsor, an influential businessman, is not even willing to talk to them on the workers problems. They cannot do anything concrete without the cooperation of the Arab employer. Only thing that the Embassy officials can do is to write letters to the Sponsor, refer the case to the labour court etc. Relatives allege that various socio-cultural organisations representing the Indian community are also not coming forward to help the workers.
A few months back, the labour problem in the Gulf was in the limelight following the reported suicide of one Malayali worker of Stag Enterprises, a cleaning company. Several worker commit suicide in the Gulf for non payment of salary and other dues. Their relatives are worried whether any more helpless Malayali worker would resort to such steps to escape!
Malayali commits suicide in Muscat due to labour problem
Kerala Monitor Special Report:
Muscat— An young worker apparently committed suicide in a labour camp at Ghala, because of the continued harassment of his employers. The tragic death of Dileep (27), from Thalacherry District, Kerala, is a mute reminder of the desperation with which more than four hundred employees of a manpower supplying contracting company –Stag Enterprises—have been struggling to get their overdue payment and go back to India decently. ..More
Visa Racket Still Active, 35 Indians duped by Recruitment Agent
Even when the amnesty scheme has been going on and the controversy surrounding the suicide of an expatriate worker here, the negative role played by Indian recruitment agents is under the scrutiny of the Indian Embassy and the local authorities. Recently the embassy has summoned another recruiting agent from Oman, Ms Abu Khalfan al Kindi Trading Establishment, which has allegedly duped more than 30 people with the help of other Indian travel agents. More
