Labour officials broker salary agreement

The Department of Labour and Social Affairs has brokered a compromise between 10 Nepal-ese labourers and their construction company which paid them salaries for two months.

Outstanding salaries of three months will be paid over the next three months along with their regular salaries.

The labourers had earlier approached the Labour Relations Division of the department and filed a case against the company, saying they had not received salaries for the past five months.

Khamis Bilal, who heads the division, said the labourers accused the company of violating the labour contract and denying them rights granted by labour law.

The case was accepted by the department, which found their allegation to be true. Bilal said the case was referred to the Labour Inspection Division for further investigations before the UAE national company owner was summoned to the department to find an amicable solution.

The labourers claimed they lived in one room, which did not have either electricity or water connections, as they were cut because they could not pay the bills. They also alleged that the company had deducted some money from their earlier salaries. The company did not provide them transport either, they said.

The department then informed the company that a representative should come to discuss the problem.

Bilal said the company was ordered to provide the labourers transport to and fro the worksite and adhere to rules on working hours, as the labourers said they were forced to do extra work. The Labour Inspection has been instructed to ensure the company implements the orders.

The department solved 39 labour disputes last month and only three were referred to the court.