Indians stranded in Saudi seek help
600 workers, including 70 from Kerala, have been suffering in labour camps
06/10/2019, MINI MURINGATHERI,THRISSUR
Around 600 employees, including 70 from Kerala, have been suffering in labour camps in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, without food, medicine and wages.
These employees, many of them working in Saudi Arabia for five to 30 years, were left in dire straits as their companies, mostly in the construction sector, were listed in the ‘Red’ category after they failed to implement the Nitaqat law.
Nitaqat, which was brought in to localise labour, makes it mandatory for all businesses in private sector to reserve at least 10% of jobs for Saudi nationals.
K.V. Abdul Khader, MLA and chairman of the Assembly committee for Pravasi Welfare, who visited the labour camp of Al Dossary Company in Jubail city in KSA, said the lives of these labourers was horrible. Al Dossary was a well-established company for roads and other civil works.
“They have been denied food and medicine. They are not getting wages for more than 10 months. As they are not getting any insurance benefits, many are not able to take treatment for even serious illnesses,” said Mr. Khader.
“Most of them face travel ban as their visa and other documents have already expired. They cannot come back home even if their beloved ones die. Many are yet to get huge amounts of money from their companies as service benefits,” Mr. Khader said.
“Their labour camps have been without power or water supply for months. Many of them collapse unable to tolerate the heat. The company managements are not providing them with any help. They are now surviving with the support of some Malayali organisations,” the MLA said.
There are many more workers in various other companies like Al Khobar and Araar, who face a similar fate, he added.
The new management policy is to close down the company without paying any compensation to employees. They are not given any wages for the last 10 months, according to Employees Coordination Committee of Al Dossary Company.
The employees submitted a written complaint to a Saudi labour court with the support of the Indian Embassy help desk and verdict was in their favour. But the company is not taking any step to execute the judgment, the employees alleged.
Mr. Khader urged the Union government to take up the issue at the diplomatic level with the Saudi Ministry.
600 workers, including 70 from Kerala, have been suffering in labour camps
06/10/2019, MINI MURINGATHERI,THRISSUR
Around 600 employees, including 70 from Kerala, have been suffering in labour camps in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, without food, medicine and wages.
These employees, many of them working in Saudi Arabia for five to 30 years, were left in dire straits as their companies, mostly in the construction sector, were listed in the ‘Red’ category after they failed to implement the Nitaqat law.
Nitaqat, which was brought in to localise labour, makes it mandatory for all businesses in private sector to reserve at least 10% of jobs for Saudi nationals.
K.V. Abdul Khader, MLA and chairman of the Assembly committee for Pravasi Welfare, who visited the labour camp of Al Dossary Company in Jubail city in KSA, said the lives of these labourers was horrible. Al Dossary was a well-established company for roads and other civil works.
“They have been denied food and medicine. They are not getting wages for more than 10 months. As they are not getting any insurance benefits, many are not able to take treatment for even serious illnesses,” said Mr. Khader.
“Most of them face travel ban as their visa and other documents have already expired. They cannot come back home even if their beloved ones die. Many are yet to get huge amounts of money from their companies as service benefits,” Mr. Khader said.
“Their labour camps have been without power or water supply for months. Many of them collapse unable to tolerate the heat. The company managements are not providing them with any help. They are now surviving with the support of some Malayali organisations,” the MLA said.
There are many more workers in various other companies like Al Khobar and Araar, who face a similar fate, he added.
The new management policy is to close down the company without paying any compensation to employees. They are not given any wages for the last 10 months, according to Employees Coordination Committee of Al Dossary Company.
The employees submitted a written complaint to a Saudi labour court with the support of the Indian Embassy help desk and verdict was in their favour. But the company is not taking any step to execute the judgment, the employees alleged.
Mr. Khader urged the Union government to take up the issue at the diplomatic level with the Saudi Ministry.
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