Dubai: A South Korean company in Dubai is still paying its workers in cash despite the Ministry of Labour's calls to pay through banks.
Workers from SunWon company said they are paid one month's salary in cash every three or four months.
The workers said the company hands them their salaries inside an envelop by hand. "They open bank accounts for us in HSBC in Abu Dhabi but they never send our salaries there. They just handed it to us in cash when they decide to pay," said a worker.
"Due to non-transfer of salary to the bank, the bank is harassing us to transfer our salaries or they will close the account," they said.
The workers said they have not been paid since December. "We went to the Ministry of Labour two days ago and they transferred our case to the labour court," said a worker.
The employees of the company who are not paid include senior staff, engineers, workers, foremen and other staff.
The workers told Gulf News that the company is working on Project: R881-2A — Business Bay Area Roads and Infrastructure Project. "Since we joined this company, our salary has not been transferred to any bank. We are receiving cash salaries, and every few months we receive a month's salary. "We work for 12 hours a day with one day holiday," said a worker.
"We fail to pay our house rent, children's school fees, grocery bills, credit cards and loan instalments. All staff are upset, and always company is saying we are trying to arrange money, but the situation became worse," they said.
Gulf News tried to contact the president of the company to inquire about the workers issue but was told that he has left Dubai.
The Ministry of Labour said they have sent an inspectors to the company and they tried to meet the manager.
