DAMMAM, 28 March — The Labor Court here, adjudicating in a case involving 80 expatriate workers who have not been paid by their company for months, has ruled that it must produce documents that verify the distribution of salaries.
The case of the 80 expatriate workers was heard on March 23.
The owner of the Rahima-based company had previously told the court that he had already paid the workers their salaries, via his office manager — an Indian named Abdul Sattar.
He admitted, however, that the salaries for a 25-day period remained unpaid.
The workers presented their own evidence in the latest hearing, and claimed that they had not in fact been given any money by Abdul Sattar.
In an added twist, Abdul Sattar also failed to turn up for the latest hearing.
The court directed the workers to find the manager, and then bring him to the court.
After the hearing, the workers told Arab News that they had not seen Abdul Sattar for seven months and were unaware of his whereabouts, but that the owner does know where he is.
The workers added that they had been told to produce the manager and until they did so, a decision will not be made on their case.
The workers argue that the sponsor should be made to present documents that prove he actually gave the money to the manager. In its absence, they added, the court should dismiss the sponsor’s argument as baseless.
Reports say that the workers are currently living where there is neither water supply nor electricity.
The Indian workers have sent a letter to the Indian ambassador asking for his assistance in bringing about an amicable solution to the dispute.
Many companies in Jubail have expressed their willingness to take on these workers, provided that the present sponsor issues a release certificate for them.
The sponsor, workers allege, has agreed to do so — if they pay him SR5,000 each.
