Filipino workers go home happy after salary dispute is settled

Four Filipino workers have settled their dispute with their employer over non-payment of salaries.

The workers, who were on probation, got around Dh10,000 and repatriation tickets.

"We are very happy as we eventually got justice and fair treatment. We never expected that the UAE Government would allow anything bad to happen to us," said Hernando Abayon, 36, a father of two children.

The workers said they will go home to see their families before they join other employees in Qatar. They said they will sue the recruitment agent in the Philippines, demanding compensation.

"We got all our withheld salaries and we appreciate the Labour Office's efforts which helped in reaching a fair settlement of the case," said Gaudencio Verdan, 53, a crane operator.

The workers thanked their company, Al Hamed Development and Construction, for the change of heart and recognising their rights. "However, we still face a problem because the money we received from the company would just offset our loans back home," said Nelson Mendez, 47, a loader operator.

The workers said they were denied No-Objection letters, which would have allowed them to join other workers in the UAE. They also said they were not happy with the six-month ban they got. "The rule punishes us for no fault. Our services were terminated, but we did nothing wrong to be punished this way," Abayon said.

The workers, who joined the company in February, also sought help from the Philippine Labour Office in Abu Dhabi after they were served with termination letters. They refused to sign the visa cancellation because they were allegedly asked to pay charges for the local recruitment agent.

"There were legal issues relating to their contract, so we helped them file a complaint against the employer," said Toribio Robles, a Filipino diplomat in Abu Dhabi. "When the workers reach the Philippines, they have the option to file money claims against the recruiter at the National Labour Relations Commission. They can get the unexpired portion of their contracts," Robles added.

Under the labour law, workers must get their salaries regularly and on time and the employer must pay for recruitment charges.