Labour protest stalls Muscat airport project
WORKERS DEMAND WAGES ACCORDING TO MINISTRY NORMS
Muscat More t han 1 ,000 Indian labourers are on strike since Thursday at t he much- delayed Muscat International Airport project. They are demanding wages according to the new Manpower Ministry regulations.
The ‘enabling work’ of the new airport started in 2006, but has been delayed for various reasons, including two cyclones. Transport and Communications Minister Dr Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Futaisi had told the media in October that the work was on fast track now and would be completed by 2014.
The workers have been on strike outside the company camp in Azaiba. They are employed to work on the terminal building for a joint consortium of Bechtel-enka-bec. While diplomatic sources and social workers said over 1 ,000 workers were on strike, one of the strikers claimed t he number was nearly 2,500.
Six-day week
“We are nearly 3,000 labourers working on the airport terminal building, of which almost 2,500 are Indians and all are on strike,” Thomas K., a worker, told ment,” an embassy official told Gulf News. “The Indian embassy officials did try to intervene,” conf irmed P.M. Jabir, social welfare secretary with the Indian Social Club.
However, Thomas said the workers were being confused in a mathematical web.
Official intervention
“They are calculating the hours for the year and presenting lower wages, which is not acceptable to us,” he said, adding that the workers wanted the calculation in weekly hours.
According to the new labour law, companies must follow a f ive-day week (45 hours a week) and a maximum of 60 hours a week, for which workers must be paid overtime.
“We have been told that if the company offer is not acceptable we can leave, and we are ready to go,” another worker told Gulf
on condition of anonymity.
A Manpower Ministry official also rushed to the camp to talk to the workers and management to discuss a solution.
The slogan shouting by striking workers continued outside the camp at the time of going to the press.