7,000 Indians boycott work in Dubai

Nearly 7,000 Indian workers employed in a contruction firm in Dubai stayed away from work for the second day on Wednesday demanding better pay and working conditions.

The employees of the Besix Construction Company which has between 7,000 and 10,000 workers, stayed away from work on Tuesday and Wednesday demanding a minimum salary of Dh1,000, Dh300 food allowance and annual vacation, Indian consulate sources said.

Indian officials visited the labour camp thrice before the protests began, but could not pursuade the workers. The company also made some concessions.

"We are aware of the problems faced by the workers of Besix Construction. The workers had contacted the consulate earlier. We visited the camp and they have given us a list of grievances.

"We have discussed the matter with labour officials and the company management who have assured us to look into the problems of their workers soon. We have informed the workers about this and urged them not to protest. We are trying to solve their problems soon," an Indian consulate official said.

Besix workers declined to report to work at various construction sites, including the Burj Dubai construction project, demanding an increase in salary and elimination of arbitrary salary deductions.

"The company has not increased the salary of workers since its inception. People who have worked for years and those who are new are paid the same salary," a worker said.

Meanwhile, some 350 migrant workers of the Al Huda Contracting Company staged protests for not having been paid on time. They marched in the scorching heat from their labour camp in Jebel Ali, about 10 kilometres from Dubai's centre.

Workers of Al Huda said the company has delayed their salaries. "I did not get my salary for the last three months.
The living conditions in our labour camp are bad. We do not have electricity and the generator does not work sometimes," alleged a worker.

However, Dubai officials informed the Indian consulate that they have sorted out the matter with the company and that dues would be paid to the workers soon.

"We discussed the issue with the director of the company. The company agreed to pay the workers their salary for the month of February on Tuesday, and the salary of March will be paid next month," Lieutenant Riyadh Shafeeh, member of the Permanent Committee for Labour Affairs, said.

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