JEDDAH, 6 April 2004 — The Saudi Labor Office in Jeddah has given Tae Chang Electric Construction Company until April 11 to pay the unpaid wages of its Filipino employees, or they will face penalties.
Tae Chang received the ire of the Saudi Labor Office after the company failed to settle the unpaid wages of 15 Filipino employees, whom they promised to pay “within the month of March.”
On April 1, 2004, a day after the promise lapsed, and upon the invitation of Tae Chang, Philippine Assistant Labor Attaché David Des Dicang and Mike Ali came to the jobsite in Jamoom to witness what could have been the settlement of the case.
Due to disagreements, however, the supposed amicable settlement bogged down.
The first disagreement was over a provision in the affidavit Tae Chang wanted the Filipino workers to sign. One offending provision called for the Filipinos to “retract” what they have told the Arab News in its story published on March 13.
The Arab News stands by its story.
Later, in the evening of April 1, Tae Chang called Dicang again saying they have revised the settlement. However, there was a catch — Tae Chang would pay half of the amount to the workers onsite, and the other half would be paid at the airport. The workers rejected the newest arrangement saying they couldn’t trust Tae Chang anymore because their earlier promises never materialized.
On April 3, the Filipino workers sought the help of the Saudi Labor Office.
“We will wait until the day (April 11) mandated by the Saudi Labor Office, then we will pursue the case vigorously and will demand everything - whatever due to them - everything that is specified in their contracts,” Labor Attache Naser Munder told Arab News.
When Arab News told Earnest Wonjin Lee, manager of Tae Chang in Riyadh about the deadline, he declared, “Within this week we will try to settle this problem according to the employment contract, even in front of the Saudi Labor Office.”
While Lee is showing some appreciation of the gravity of the matter, other managers in Jamoom, are not.
On Sunday morning, April 4, the Korean managers in Jamoom (Mr. Jong, Kim and Hur) brought the Filipinos to the police station in for no apparent reason. After 30 minutes, the Filipinos were allowed to leave after the police officer found them innocent of any wrongdoing.
The workers claimed their managers were just harassing them. They said they never felt intimidated because by going to the police station they can tell the police what happened to them.
The dispute in paying the back wages of the Filipinos was triggered by Tae Chang itself. The company wanted to charge the Filipinos for use of water, electricity, accommodation and transportation from Jeddah airport to the jobsite. They were also charged the cost of visa and iqama, on top of the placement fee and tickets they had been assessed.
By charging their employees fees for accommodation, Tae Chang is clearly violating a provision in the contract they themselves prepared. A provision clearly states: “Employer will provide accommodation and meals as per standard of Employer. In case meals are not provided by the Employer, food allowance of SR200 per month will be paid. In another provision, the contract specifically states, “The employer shall provide to the employee accommodations such as housing and cafeteria.”
Lee said they had to charge the Filipinos all these expenses because they stopped working. The workers vehemently denied this. They said they were not working now because Tae Chang has no current project.
Lee was civil with his interview with the Arab News, but his managers in Jamoom were not. During negotiations, one of the managers snatched from the hands of Assistant Labor Attaché Des Dicang a copy of the affidavit they wanted the Filipinos to sign.
Prestige Search International Inc., the Philippine agency that deployed these Filipino might be in trouble. The workers showed Arab News two sets of contracts they signed. Tae Chang prepared the first contract, the other the agency. The employees were instructed by the agency never to show the first contract to the POEA counter at the airport. Rather, when asked about their contract, they were instructed to show the second contract. The workers did as ordered on the day of departure. If proven guilty of “contract switching” the agency can be penalized. POLO said the agency’s license could be suspended, or even revoked.
So far, the 15 Filipino employees of Tae Chang have been living through the help of POLO and some kind-hearted Filipinos in Jamoom and Jeddah. If their case drags on, they will need more help and support.
