Business
Indian workers on strike get their outstanding salaries in Bahrain
Manama, March 13
More than 100 Indian,
Pakistani and Filipino workers of Mercury Middle East, who went on
strike for non-payment of salaries, have been paid their wages after the
intervention of diplomats and labour officials, a media report said on
Friday.
The firm said the workers who were on strike since
February 28 were paid the outstanding salaries on Wednesday, Gulf Daily
News reported, adding that an Indian embassy official who visited the
workers at their accommodation reportedly refused to leave on Wednesday
until the men were paid.
Mercury Middle East was sub-contracted
to carry out work on the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay project by
Dubai-based Six Construct. A Mercury representative blamed Six Construct
for the delayed payments, alleging it was awaiting payment from the
Dubai firm.
"We are yet to be paid by Six Construct and we are still trying to get the money from them," he said.
However, Six Construct said that it was Mercury who was responsible for satisfying the grievances of its workers.
"The name of Six Construct has unfortunately been misused by Mercury," Six Construct managing director Pierre Sironval said.
Bahrain's
labour ministry has, meanwhile, launched a probe into the non-payment
of 125 Indian, Pakistani and Filipino electrical and mechanical staff.
"Our
inspectors visited the labour camp, discussed issues with the employees
and contacted the employer," ministry's under secretary Sabah Al
Dossary said.