RIYADH, 14 August 2003 — A group of 147 Saudi employees of BAE Systems in Riyadh are pursuing their case against the British company. Yesterday, they presented an appeal before the Higher Arbitration Committee at the Labour Office in Riyadh against a decision of the primary Arbitration Committee but the court adjourned the case until Dec. 10.
Jamal Al-Muzein, the employees’ lawyer, told Arab News that the verdict of the Primary Arbitration Committee only approved one out of a list of 12 demands by the employees, namely the continuation of their original contracts, which BAE Systems had unilaterally suspended. “We will continue to press for all 12 demands presented before the primary Arbitration committee,” Al-Muzain said. The Saudi employees are demanding equal treatment with their British and Australian colleagues at the company, who receive higher salaries and more benefits such as education, housing and living allowances.
Another key demand presented by the employees for BAE to set up rules and regulations approved by Ministry of Labor for the appointment and promotion of its workers and for the allowances and benefits they receive following article 137 of the Labor Law. Other demands include payment of the annual bonus, which the company has frozen. It recently decided to pay a £4,500 bonus to each of its expatriate employees only, a move considered by the Saudi staff as a continuation of the company’s discriminatory practices. According to BAE systems, the bonus was granted due to the psychological pressure on expatriate workers in the aftermath of the Riyadh bombing in May.
