Saudi Arabia: abandoned migrant workers refuse free flights home

[webfact]

Saudi Arabia: abandoned migrant workers refuse free flights home

 

 

RIYADH: -- Thousands of migrant construction workers – abandoned by their employers in filthy desert camps in Saudi Arabia amid the kingdom’s economic slump – say they will not accept a government offer of free flights home until they get months of unpaid wages.

 

At one camp, workers say they stopped working for the firm Saudi Oger around four months ago and have not been paid since January.

 

“We have 10 million foreign workers not complaining and we have only 30,000 in one company, this should not be generalised,” said Mufarej Al-Haqbani, Saudi Labour Minister.

 

Saudi Oger – the family company of former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri – is said to have stopped providing basic services at several of its camps.

 

It did not respond to Reuters requests for comments.

 

“From January, no salary, my family (has a) big problem. My son (has) no fees for school. No pay for (the) electricity bill. No eating food for family,” said Mohammed Mossad, an Indian worker for Saudi Oger.

 

Mohammed Riyas, a Pakistani worker, added: “I’m sitting in my room, I am wasting my time. I want to go Pakistan. But I’m sitting here, they’re not giving me (my) salary, they’re not giving me anything.”

 

Another Pakistani worker, Sardar Naseer, commented: “Medical problems. Many people are sick but they cannot go hospital because they don’t have insurance. Therefore, they cannot treatment here.”

 

India, Pakistan and the Philippines are among countries pressuring the Riyadh authorities to help the abandoned workers.

 

The Labour Ministry says it will follow up wage claims through Saudi Arabia’s labour dispute system.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-08-19

[Kerryd]

In the UAE they are just left to fend for themselves. At least until they get arrested. 10s of thousands of immigrant workers were stranded when Dubai suffered a financial collapse (between 2007 and 2010) and numerous construction projects (and their workers) were simply abandoned. The companies were never held liable and despite it being known that many of those companies were holding onto the worker's passports, the cops would arrest the workers and charge them with being in the country illegally. They were the lucky ones because at least in prison they'd get to eat once in awhile and shower and maybe get sent home eventually. The rest were left to fend for themselves, often living 12 to a room that we (working in Afghanistan) would normally only have 2 people share and living off whatever scraps they could beg, borrow, steal, find in the trash or get from fellow countrymen that were lucky enough to have employment. 

The unfortunate ones, with no passports or work permits, couldn't even apply for jobs at other projects. 

 

Even for the people that had employment, conditions are usually not that great. For example, almost all the (foreign) workers that were building the Burj Dubai (now called the Burj Khalifa) went on strike at one point because of the poor conditions they faced, on and off the job. (It's called the Burj Khalifa now because it was the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Shiek Khalifa, that bailed Dubai out during the financial crisis mentioned previously). I've talked to various foreign workers in Dubai and for a lot of them, they are barely making it even though they have jobs. A lot have to live 5-6 to a tiny room to share the expenses and still have enough to live on, without being able to send much home to support their families. Dubai is an expensive city to live in, but they pay their workers a pittance.

Not quite slave labour, but pretty close to it.

[clockman]

Slave traders, always have been.

[Alive]

I bet some of these people abused by the Saudis would like to see the overthrow of the Saudi regime now. And people wonder why men like Osama bun Laden got support. These men will go back home someday with hate for the arrogance and apathy of the Saudis.

[Junkyarddog]

Americas closet ally in the Middle East.

[Witblitz]

6 hours ago, clockman said:

Slave traders, always have been.

And a member of the UN council for Human rights, and apparantly up for the chair in same organisation 

[Clamhua]

This is seems to be an acceptable SOP for businesses in the middle east...

[oldlakey]

6 minutes ago, Witblitz said:

And a member of the UN council for Human rights, and apparantly up for the chair in same organisation 

Its called oil

[Galactus]

classic bigot arabia. exploit and abandon.

i wonder why countries allow their citizens to work in Saudi Arabia. Basically, they can ban workers going there.

[NativeSon360]

9 hours ago, clockman said:

Slave traders, always have been.

[ClutchClark]

10 hours ago, Kerryd said:

In the UAE they are just left to fend for themselves. At least until they get arrested. 10s of thousands of immigrant workers were stranded when Dubai suffered a financial collapse (between 2007 and 2010) and numerous construction projects (and their workers) were simply abandoned. The companies were never held liable and despite it being known that many of those companies were holding onto the worker's passports, the cops would arrest the workers and charge them with being in the country illegally. They were the lucky ones because at least in prison they'd get to eat once in awhile and shower and maybe get sent home eventually. The rest were left to fend for themselves, often living 12 to a room that we (working in Afghanistan) would normally only have 2 people share and living off whatever scraps they could beg, borrow, steal, find in the trash or get from fellow countrymen that were lucky enough to have employment. 

The unfortunate ones, with no passports or work permits, couldn't even apply for jobs at other projects. 

 

Even for the people that had employment, conditions are usually not that great. For example, almost all the (foreign) workers that were building the Burj Dubai (now called the Burj Khalifa) went on strike at one point because of the poor conditions they faced, on and off the job. (It's called the Burj Khalifa now because it was the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Shiek Khalifa, that bailed Dubai out during the financial crisis mentioned previously). I've talked to various foreign workers in Dubai and for a lot of them, they are barely making it even though they have jobs. A lot have to live 5-6 to a tiny room to share the expenses and still have enough to live on, without being able to send much home to support their families. Dubai is an expensive city to live in, but they pay their workers a pittance.

Not quite slave labour, but pretty close to it.

 

Thanks for taking the time to type this out KerryD.

[louse1953]

5 hours ago, Junkyarddog said:

Americas closet ally in the Middle East.

What about the great occupier Israel.

[Dustdevil]

To follow up on Kerry D's comments on Dubai, I worked there 1997-2007. Migrant workers were treated so badly and seldom paid, plus they owed thousands each for airfares and employment agencies that the only way they could get any money to their families back home was to throw themselves in front of highway traffic. Blood money on the order of $40,000 was the usual amount. In one case I knew of, one of them jumped in front of a Briton's car. The Brit went to jail. Of course a local would never be imprisoned for something he could do nothing to prevent. We're talking about a country (UAE) where female rape victims get thrown in jail for making themselves "available."

[bassman]

14 hours ago, Junkyarddog said:

Americas closet ally in the Middle East.

 

13 hours ago, Witblitz said:

And a member of the UN council for Human rights, and apparantly up for the chair in same organisation 

 

Their bombings in Yemen are horrendous also.  And Saudi is the preacher of Sharia law and are the spawning grounds for Islamist Extremism through their Salifist and Wahabism teachings.  They still fund the Islamic Jihad world wide.

 

And major Clinton Foundation Donor (20 million +), plus paid speeches to Bill (1 million).  Should be able to stay in favor with the USA if the current polls are correct.

 

With fracking, tar sands and moves to renewable energy I see few reasons for them to remain on our best friends list.

 

 

 

 

[Jimjim1968]

Awful. May it be consumed by the desert sands once more.

[shirtless]

Arabs seldom keep their word when it comes to money, This company should be forced to pay. 

[Morch]

Not exactly a new story, the company was in trouble for about a year now.

 

On top of other mismanagement issues, cash flow seems to be a main issue. One version is that the decrease in oil prices led to Saudi Arabia's government failing to transfer funds. Another is that funds were transferred, but were used to cover company debts.

 

The company is owned by the Lebanese Hariri family, and there are reports that negotiations are underway which will see control transferred to the Saudi Government.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Oger

http://www.jordantimes.com/news/business/workers-suffer-saudi-arabia-once-mighty-hariri-firm-falters

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-arabia-in-talks-to-rescue-hariri-construction-conglomerate-saudi-oger-1.1872948

http://al-bab.com/blog/2016/08/hariri-firm-saudi-arabia-facing-bankruptcy

 

 

 

[soc]

A friend of mine worked in Saudi, in the 70s.

Very entertaining stories.

l don't know if its true but he told me that the company that you work for is the issuing power for your EXIT Visa. Not the Saudi Government.

Apparently you need this to leave Arabia & if its inconvenient for your employer to let you leave, you don't get this Exit Visa.

Can any old Saudi hands  enlighten me on this subject?

[mrbojangles]

20 hours ago, soc said:

A friend of mine worked in Saudi, in the 70s.

Very entertaining stories.

l don't know if its true but he told me that the company that you work for is the issuing power for your EXIT Visa. Not the Saudi Government.

Apparently you need this to leave Arabia & if its inconvenient for your employer to let you leave, you don't get this Exit Visa.

Can any old Saudi hands  enlighten me on this subject?

 

I haven't final exited yet so not fully sure of the whole procedure. However, things are constantly changing in Saudi, i.e. only earlier this year your employer had to retain your passport if you had your Iqama in your possession but a new law has come out that all Employers must now give back passports and cannot retain them.

 

Also, previously your employer usually sorted out any of your visa requirements but the visa was still issued by the MOI (Ministry of Interior). Nowadays you can apply yourself on line. For final exit, you have to have closed any Saudi Bank account and sold any car(s) that you have which I wouldn't imagine is the responsibility of the employer.

[Basil B]

On 19/08/2016 at 10:16 AM, Junkyarddog said:

Americas closet ally in the Middle East.

 

Wonder what will happen when the oil runs out???

[JHolmesJr]

Terribly sad….ive always looked at their fanciful buildings and wondered…who in his right mind would want to live in this godforsaken place….its ok if you're working as an expat with a timeline and an exit plan.

[KNJ]

12 minutes ago, Basil B said:

 

Wonder what will happen when the oil runs out???

That is not very likely.

More key is the cost of extraction, Iran, Iraq and Saudi is about or less than 10 USD a barrel. These boys are still making money.

However the cost of all the subsidies, social benefits and general running of the country, means that heave a shortfall. Combine this with a young population expanding rapidly and it is of little doubt they will be able to keep the genie in the bottle indefinitely