Workers call off 80-km walk to Muscat

Muscat: Some 300 workers from NCC (Nagarjuna Construction Company) International ended their 80-km walk from Quriyat site to Muscat after walking for more than 25-km on Wednesday as senior company officials assured  them of a tangible solution.

The five-day strike started with the non-payment of salaries for the last two months. The company paid the pending salaries to the workers on Tuesday but over 2000 workers were unhappy with the prospects of losing overtime under the new Labour Laws in Oman.

“The company has decided to apply new labour laws under which we have to work for nine hours and two days weekly off is mandatory,” a worker told Gulf News.

 Preferring not to be identified to avoid any action by the company, the worker further added that earlier they were made to work 10 hours with two-hour overtime. “Plus we were also getting overtime for working on Fridays.”

“Now we have to sit in the camp for two days every week and no overtime,” another worker complained.

The workers have another grouse that newly arrived were paid more money than those working for nearly two years. “Our salary is 55 while newcomers are paid 70,” he said, adding that they decided to march 80-km to lodge their complain against the company with the labour department in Muscat.

As they were marching peacefully, four police cars were escorting them but after about 25-km the senior company officials reportedly met them and assured them to look into the matter. “After the negotiations the workers decided to go back,” a worker from India’s southern state of Andhra Pradesh told Gulf News.

Another worker said that they had called for a temporary truce but could resort to strike again if their demands are not met.

Meanwhile, according to sources five NCC International workers have already filed an official complaint with the Indian Embassy.