Dispute between partners, Workers become scapegoat

A partner of Al Wasmiya Tent company is reportedly holding cheques worth BD1,79,00

Manama

Over 50 employees at a prominent events supplier company went on strike yesterday after their company landed in financial trouble, apparently due a dispute between its owners.

Cheques worth BD 1,79, 000 are reportedly being held by one of the partners of Al Wasmiya Tent company, following a dispute with his business partner.

A partner of the business, Rahim (name changed upon request), is alleged to have taken the company's cheques worth BD 1,79,000 because he felt he was being cheated by the company.

Its also said Rahim also managed to change some of the details on the Commercial Registration of his company.

"They were having conflicts for quite some time now. Rahim claims he was cheated by his partner. Since the other partner, Ahmed, has another events supply company, Rahim felt he is swaying Al Wasmiya's clients to his other business,” an employee from the administration department told DT News.

“The situation is complicated. We are not entirely sure what has happened between them but it does not look like they will reconcile any time soon. We do not know what the partner is planning to do with the checks. The rumours are that he would transfer it to a different account and somehow encash it," he added.

“The confiscation of the company cheques mean the company has no money to pay the employees, he said, adding, over 50 people are on strike due to default of salaries.

"Because of the differences between partners, we are the ones to suffer. We have not been paid for two months," he lamented.

According to a source, the case has been reported to the authorities. "It has been reported to the Criminal Investigation Department, and there is also a legal case in the court. They opened another CR and were transferring funds from Al Wasmiya to their own CR (Focus Events). It might also be a case of money laundering," the source said. 

Labour Ministry Undersecretary Sabah Al Dosari said that the ministry has not been contacted by the company or its workers regarding its strike. "I heard that a letter was sent to the LMRA about a complaint against one of the partner but no official complaint has been submitted to Labour Ministry regarding this. If anybody at this company is having an issue, we are ready to look into their problems and try to find a solution but they will have to come to us directly."