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Workers block Shaikh Zayed Road; Firm told to pay in 24 hours

DUBAI — In a swift action to address the grievances of around 1,000 workers of Al Hamed Development Construction Company who protested early yesterday over the non-payment of their salaries, the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Dr Ali Abdullah Al Kaabi, ordered the Dubai-based company to pay the four-months delayed wages within 24 hours, and blacklisted the company for six months. He also warned that further legal action would follow if the company fails to pay on time.

About 1,000 workers protested yesterday morning on Shaikh Zayed road over non-payment of salaries causing disrupting traffic for about two hours.

In addition to ordering blacklisting of the company including all its branches and the establishments owned by all the partners of the company, the minister also ordered denial of new employment visas for the recruitment of more workers for six months. The order was implemented by the ministry's inspection department immediately.

The owners of this company are Shaye and Khalid Al Hamed, UAE nationals, and Mahmoud Khalid and Bassam Abdul Rahim Hamdan, both Jordanians.

The minister asked the company officially in writing to pay the salaries of the workers within 24 hours.

In addition to that, the ministry imposed fines on the company for delaying payment of salaries in accordance with the recent Cabinet decision.

The minister also warned the company that the ministry would transfer the sponsorship of the workers without its approval if failed to pay the salaries within the given grace period. If the ministry gives the workers sponsorship transfer, the company will be still committed to the worker's financial dues.

The company, which is a contractor on the Palm project undertaken by Nakheel, did not comment on the issue when contacted by Khaleej Times. But a ministry official was quoted by AFP as saying: “The firm says it has several construction sites and thousands of labourers, and that it pays their wages by rotation.”

Early at about 7.30am yesterday, officers from the Human Rights Department of the Dubai Police rushed to the Shaikh Zayed road around the fifth interchange where about 1,000 workers, mostly from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, held a protest blocking both sides of the freeway. The workers marched from the company's site of Palm Island Project to the highway. As a result, tail backs over a kilometre in length occurred causing traffic delays and chaos.

Officers from Human Rights Department rushed to the location and promised the workers to arrange for solving their problems.

Dubai Police notified the Ministry of Labour, which in turn sent its inspectors and researchers to the location of the protest to investigate the complaints of the workers which were about non-payment of four months salaries and invalid water for drinking at the company's labour camp.

The ministry's staff negotiated with a number of workers' representatives and representatives of the company and verified the workers claims of the company's failure to pay the salaries of around 2,000 workers for the last four months.

Checking the labour camp the ministry found that the company's accommodation included 575 rooms and 960 bathrooms, which were found sufficient to cater the number of workers the company has. The ministry's inspectors reported that the provided accommodation was suitable and that the drinking water was potable.

“Driving to office this morning was not the usual quick dash from The Gardens, Jebel Ali, where I reside to Al Quoz Interchange 3 where I work,” said Nazir Bhatri, a general manager with a local firm.

“Protesting workers virtually took over Shaikh Zayed road at the Nakheel Interchange and started walking towards Dubai right across the five lanes and the shoulder. Police patrols who were present could not do much to improve the situation as cars piled up on this busy road at that time of the day. To make matters worse oncoming traffic from Dubai to Jebel Ali slowed down to watch this unusual spectacle, creating a traffic snarl on the other side as well — all the way up to the Dubai Media and Internet City,” he added.

Luckily he had his camera handy and was able to capture the scene.

An eyewitness, who did want to give his name, said that the demonstration began at approximately 7.30am and lasted for around two hours. It ended with the police transporting the protesters from the scene on buses. The eyewitness said the police were not heavy handed, and handled the situation well.

Violation File:

The ministry's computer system showed that the company was suspended from transacting with the ministry four times from the beginning of 2004 until yesterday.

The suspension in the four cases was due to the failure of the company to submit the regular audit report that proves the regular payment of wages to the ministry. However, the ministry had lift the suspension in the four cases as soon as the company furnished the required document.

The suspension took place on January 13 of 2004, March 10 of 2004, January 1 of 2005 and April 14, 2005. The company submitted the last salary sheet to the ministry on April 19. The company should have submitted the salary sheet after three months in July but it has failed to do that.

According to a source at the ministry, companies that recruit high numbers of staff are asked to submit salary payment sheet every three months.

The categories of companies are: Construction and maintainance, readymade garment factories, transport services, and cleaning services.

Any new company that belonged to any of these categories is asked to submit salary payment sheet. If the company did not respond, another letter will be sent after the lap of three months from the first letter. As well, if the company continues to ignore the ministry's request, the ministry will send another letter on the following month. If the company fails to comply, the ministry suspends the company with a letter made to the company to take prompt response, a ministry source clarified.

He said that the computer shows 101 companies that are being suspended by the ministry for failing to submit salary payment sheets. "Suspension means that the company cannot transact with the ministry at all," he clarified.