EFFORTS are under way to resolve the claims of more than 100 workers at a private company in Bahrain that they have not been paid for three months.
The men, from India and Nepal, also said they are stuck in their Arad accommodation because the company refuses to make arrangements for their return home despite their resignations.
The workers include fitters, welders, technicians, drivers and cleaners who earn salaries ranging between BD80 and BD150.
Responding to an appeal on social media, the Indian Embassy said it was aware of the issue and had got in touch with the men.
“However, this is not a case of stranded Indians,” it told the GDN, in a statement.
“There are some issues with the company where they work; we are in touch with both parties and are trying to resolve the matter at the earliest.”
The men told the GDN that the management blamed ‘financial issues’ for not being able to pay their wages, so they resigned last month.
“They refused to give us the tickets along with our pending wages,” said an Indian worker.
“All we have is accommodation – only rooms – in Arad. We haven’t been working, and we have to pay for everything – water, food, soap, dishes, bedsheets – out of our own pockets.
Debt
“We don’t have any money, so we get some basic dry rations on credit from a nearby coldstore; even cooking is difficult because we have to spend money on the fuel from our pocket.
“We are desperate because the coldstore has now refused to give us provisions on credit as each of us owe around BD100 and the debt is mounting.”
The 35-year-old fitter for the ship-repairing company also claimed that the company was refusing to hand over their passports to them.
“We’ll be in our fourth month without pay next week, and all of us have families back home who are also suffering without any income,” added another worker, from India’s Odisha state.
“We sent letters to our state government in addition to our complaint to the embassy.”
Meanwhile, the Nepalese Embassy confirmed that eight of its nationals flew home yesterday.
They were among 20 Nepalese men who had joined the company last month.
“We are working to ensure the remaining 12 men also return home at the earliest,” said the embassy, adding that all those who left were paid in full for the month they worked, with the Nepalese manpower agency that hired them paying for their tickets.
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