Dispute with employer: expats leave Bahrain

About 30 employees of a  power maintenance company has left Bahrain, after a dispute erupted between the employer and a group of employees.

The employees had been residing in a labour accommodation in Hidd. According to sources, another group of about 20 employees will also leave the Kingdom soon.

The power maintenance company had recently employed about 100 employees after holding an interview at the south Indian city of Chennai. The employees reached Bahrain on a six-month work visa in the first week of this month.

Later, the employees expressed their resentment after they were not given work continuously. They had to sit idle at the labour accommodation as they were given work between October 11 and 17 only. In the meantime, the employer told them that only half of the basic salary would be paid to them at the end of the first month. This decision enraged the employees, who expressed their dissent.

The situation aggravated after three of the employees were sent home last Tuesday night. The management claimed that the employees left

Bahrain willingly and no force was used. But the employees alleged that they were sent back after forcibly getting their signature on final settlement papers.

After this incident, majority of the employees decided not to work anymore. Though the employer later agreed to pay full basic salary for the month

of October, the employees stuck to their demands. Finally, the employer agreed to send them back to avoid further complication. The return flight ticket cost is also borne by the employer, sources said. Meanwhile, about half of the employees have decided to continue their work.

The employees reached here paying about BD60 to BD90 to agents in India. The jobs included plumber, general fitters, helpers, forklift operators, instrumental technician etc, with salaries ranging from BD110 to BD140. Most of them belonged to the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, while some are from Gujarat and Karnataka.