What a walking disaster the GPZ organisation appears to be, and the frightening thing, it also has multiple contracts in Bahrain.
How long can the bureaucrats from the Labour and Social Development Ministry keep on believing that GPZ principals have principles, which can be believed?
Too many months ago, they promised to resolve a payment issue, which has been a running sore since late 2016.
Promises to pay staff, who were owed wages, unpaid for almost 18 months, understandable protest marches, to their locked gates and a Bahraini throwing himself prostate on the ground and lying in front of entry to their premises.
Convenience stores refusing credit for workers, now living on handouts.
As a news watcher about Bahrain, I thought the issue was resolved, after men from the ministry, said GPZ, action unacceptable, promising no longer contracts with GPZ, for future tenders.
A good incentive to actually get up and talk to protesters and the “men from the ministry;” to actually try to resolve the issue putting a punitive caveat, on GPZ.
Yet there appears to have been no tangible response, no immediate sanctions to force the company to the negotiation table, or punitive action to ensure the workers’ wages are paid.
My understanding is that GPZ claimed they had not been paid for their services by the government, yet when the government promptly did so, the funds allocated, instead of being paid to the impoverished workers, was instead given to the GPZ management hierarchy.
Quite unbelievable.
How much longer will the responsible authorities, allow this litany of broken promises to fix the situation, be tolerated or being allegedly”lied to,” by GPZ executives.
It makes a mockery of the authorities, “authority” to act and dispense justice, against those who ignore it, and those who expect it, as do the workers, who have given their labour, often under the hot sun, and now are still not being paid their dues!
Sadly, a blight on Bahrain.
The issue, of course, was raised by the International Labour Organisation, ILO, which globally monitors the conditions for workers, especially related to pay.
It can blacklist recalcitrants, and so, infect and affect, all GPZ sites, not just in Bahrain, but anywhere the company operates.
It is simply, “dumb” politics, with the poorest of workers unable to get justice served, and so protest and media coverage, are the only options, that can be used against the GPZ company.
GPZ is an organisation, which according to the newspaper account, has either been unwilling or unable, to the simple matter, of just meeting with staff.
Either ineptness, or incredible arrogance, simply not caring about the welfare of people, their employees, with mouths to feed, both themselves and their families, mostly at home, where the loss of even the most pitiful wage, is fundamental to welfare, including for their children.
In some cases, construction workers no longer had valid visas, because they had simply expired, resulting in being “illegally” in Bahrain, merely waiting to be paid!
Their passports of course, are usually held by an employer, to ensure servitude by employees, ensuring their visa acquired workers, like slaves of yesteryear, do not run away!
Many of the workers, just want to go home, and are unable to do so, even those who are in “bonded tenure.”
Labour parties are involved, so too, relevant embassies.
The issue remains, a very sordid mess.