Fatima Muhammad Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Seventeen workers have lodged a complaint against their former employer, who has failed to pay them from 6 to 11 months salaries. The workers, of different nationalities though mainly Asians, were initially 34 in number when they lodged the case against their employers. However, as the process of following up with courts took long and dragged on, half of them dropped the case. A worker told Saudi Gazette that they were not only deprived of their salaries, but also their previous sponsor did not commit to renewing their Iqamas (residence permits). He further claimed that one of their colleagues has been sent forcibly back to his home country even though their case has not yet been finalized. He also claimed that their previous sponsor had physically abused them and threatened them of more ham if they do not drop the case. According to official documents obtained by Saudi Gazette, the worker along with his colleagues had repeatedly shown up at the court on the appointed times, but the sponsor failed to show up always causing delay and further postponements. Only an uncertified man came once to represent the company but he has been asked by the judge to come with an official document certifying that he is permitted to represent the company. He never showed up again after that order. The labor court filed a notice to the police to haul the sponsor to court. The police informed the sponsor to show up at the court but he never did. The police have warned that they will stop the company's operations and even bust the sponsor. However, that also did not help in speeding up the process of payment. The labor court then issued its final decision in absence of the sponsor. This gave the worker, who spoke to Saudi Gazette, the right to get SR59,000 in past dues. Each worker also has a distinct case with total estimated delayed salaries of over SR835,000. Initially these workers lodged a complaint early 2014 at the Jubail labor court, however their case was transferred to Dammam. Saudi Gazette obtained a copy of the official documents issued by the labor dispute directorate of the Ministry of Labor. The sponsor, based on the documents, is a subcontracting company that provides both manpower and equipment to another company. The subcontracting company is required to pay the salaries. The subcontracting company failed to pay salaries that now adds up to SR835,894.
