A DEMAND to suspend all commercial deals involving companies that fail to pay their workforce has been tabled by members of Bahrain’s Shura Council.
It follows repeated complaints by expatriates that their salaries were being delayed, some for several months.
Shura Council member Mona Almoayyed yesterday held up a GDN article highlighting the plight of some who have not been paid for almost a year, as she called for action to stop the practice.
The article, published yesterday, described how staff of G P Zachariades (GPZ) Civil Engineering and Contractors had seen their work visas expire as they awaited unpaid salaries dating back almost nine months.
“I have been president of the Bahrain Migrant Workers’ Protection Society (MWPS) for six years and have seen several expatriate workers threatened with action by their employers if they complained or asked for intervention in non-payment,” she told the chamber.
“The worried workers remain silent and now, with payments made to bank accounts directly, hopefully payment problems will come under the government’s direct attention.
“The GDN has reported about a company that didn’t pay regularly for two years. The (MWPS) society presented them coupons to get food, but this company is not broke – it has projects worth millions.”
She proposed freezing the activities of such companies until they pay staff wages on time, directly into employee bank accounts.
“Where is justice?” she asked. “It is time to take action against those companies that fail to pay wages by suspending all of their deals until they start doing things in a humanitarian way.”
The issue was raised during discussion of a Royal Decree, which makes it compulsory for companies with more than 500 staff to pay wages through direct bank transfers. It is an amendment to the 2012 Private Sector Law and the Shura Council retrospectively approved the decree yesterday, after it was issued by His Majesty King Hamad in October.
Member Shaikh Adel Al Maawada said the decree applied to both Bahrainis and expats.
“It treats expats and Bahrainis the same, but it places more attention on poor expatriate workers who leave their countries to come here – only to face hardship and then injustice,” he said.
He added cases of Bahrainis not being paid were rare.
“It is just one, two, 10 or 20 cases – not a lot,” he said.
“But thousands of expats are being left to fend for themselves, as those who hired them don’t treat them humanely.
“A few days ago I saw an employee whose bank account was zero.
“He sat near the ATM crying, as his wage had not been transferred. We have to acknowledge that expats require care.”
However, he added companies were not always to blame – saying they often had to wait up to a year to be paid for work carried out, which affected their payroll.
“There are companies that are not being paid by the government and others for up to a year,” he said.
“This is why they delay payments.”
Meanwhile, Shura Council human rights committee chairman Ahmed Al Haddad vowed to defend the rights of both Bahrainis and expatriates.
“The GDN highlighted a humanitarian case that affected up to 3,000 workers,” he said.
“We have a duty to discuss it, as it falls in line with the decree we are debating.
“There is injustice and action needs to be taken against the companies involved – stopping their deals until they start treating their employees properly.”
Labour and Social Development Ministry Under-Secretary, Sabah Al Dossary revealed the decree could be amended in future, so that companies with fewer than 500 employees are also obliged to pay staff through direct bank transfers.
“The new direct bank payments will be enforced on companies with 500 workers and more,” he explained.
“After assessment it will be lowered to include others.
“Companies that don’t pay are being dealt with seriously by those concerned. It is inhumane and can’t be disregarded.
“Harassment and mistreatment is among several ILO (International labour organisation) concerns, besides payments, and we have had to intervene to ensure workers are protected.”
However, Shura Council member Juma Al Ka’abi argued Bahraini employers needed protection in the case of runaway housemaids, having invested up to BD1,200 for their services.
“It is unfair to pay and provide a plane ticket home for a housemaid who runs away after two weeks and goes to work somewhere else,” he said.
“We need to guarantee Bahraini employers’ rights.”
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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