LABOUR officials are taking a major Bahraini company to court amid allegations that it has failed to pay more than 100 employees for months.
A case has been lodged against Bramco Group by the Labour and Social Development Ministry.
Under-Secretary Sabah Al Doseri confirmed legal action was being taken against the firm, which specialises in mining, earth moving and marble supply.
He said the decision was taken after the company repeatedly ignored warnings, which has already resulted in it being blacklisted by the government.
The owner is currently abroad and could not be reached for comment.
“We have been giving the owner the time he asked for to settle salaries to his employees,” Mr Al Doseri told the GDN.
“I met him personally at least four times in the past two to three years.
“We blacklisted the firm two years ago when many of its projects stopped.
“Once he kept his word and paid part of his employees’ wages, but then it ended up getting worse and now we learn he is not in Bahrain.
“The case has been referred to the court.”
The company is said to employ staff from India, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines, some of whom claim they are owed salaries dating back more than a year.
Mr Al Doseri confirmed the Indian and Bangladeshi Embassies were both in contact with the ministry about the issue.
“Labour officials are in touch with diplomats and we have asked them to collect all the names of employees and their signatures,” he added.
“A detailed report on the case will be submitted to the minister this week.”
In addition to a case being filed at the Labour Court, the GDN has learnt that 43 Bangladeshi Bramco Group employees are also planning to file a separate police complaint today.
That follows a visit to a police station yesterday by some of the men, accompanied by a Bangladeshi Embassy representative.
“An embassy official accompanied some of the men to the police station with a labour inspector,” said Bangladeshi Embassy labour consul Shaikh Tahidul Islam.
“They were given two options – either file a single complaint with all men signing it and authorising one person to represent them, or each filing individual complaints. The men chose the first.
“We issued a letter (of complaint) from the embassy, the men will sign it and it will be filed.
“We tried our best to contact the owner, but could not and he has not been co-operating.”
The company staff, who are supposed to earn between BD120 and BD230 per month, are now surviving on embassy handouts at their labour accommodation in Askar.
Hardship
Many have expired employment visas, which means they no longer have legal residency in Bahrain.
“Most of these men are illegal as their visas expired and we are also making temporary arrangements for their food as the case proceeds,” added Mr Islam.
Meanwhile, staff told the GDN the owner of the company was currently living in Dubai.
One of the 56 Indian men employed by the firm said the company had given them each BD20 for food on Monday, but added they and their families were facing hardship.
“We are struggling without money for food and our families are suffering,” he said on condition of anonymity.
“Our unpaid salaries have accumulated – there are men owed eight to 14 months’ pay.
“We want to go home and we have been sitting idle as there is no work now.”
Neither company management nor Indian Embassy officials could be reached for comment.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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