RIYADH, 28 July — The second batch of Saudi employees working at BAE in the capital will bring their case before Riyadh Labor Court today.
The new lawsuit, filed by more than 100 employees, comes as a continuation of the first case filed against BAE Systems last January over changes in the employment contracts of Saudis from permanent to annual contracts. “Both lawsuits are expected to be brought together before the Labor Court on Aug. 19,” a spokesman for the Labor Committee of Saudi Employees Working at BAE Systems said.
A similar hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20 in Dammam Labor Office in the case filed by 497 Saudi workers at BAE Systems in Dhahran.
“ We want the company to revise its latest moves and carry out the instructions spelled out in the latest statement of Ministry of Defense which says very clearly that it will not agree to any new steps on the part of the company in violation of the rights and privileges of Saudi workers,” the spokesman said.
“ Saudi workers are torn between two extremes . If they go to BAE, they will face the same ready reply,’ It is an Al-Yamamah Project,’ and if they turn toward Al-Yamamah or Royal Saudi Air Force, they are told to report to their company, that is BAE. It is a dilemma,” he added.
“But we have won the first round after Jeddah Labor Court ruled in favor of Bassam Al-Zargi, a Tabuk BAE employee. The ruling shows that BAE’s new move is indeed a clear violation of Saudi labor law.
The court ruling, which was made available to Arab News, states that the termination of the contract is illegal as the court did not find any reason for the company to terminate him. “ It is not true that BAE’s decision to terminate me came as per the directives of the Ministry of Defense,” Bassam Al-Zargi said in his defense. “ BAE is the one responsible for terminating my contract,” he added.
The Labor Committee of Saudi Employees was pleased with the ruling of Jeddah Labor Office. “This ruling offers encouragement and protection not just to those who work at BAE Systems but to all those who work or will work in the private sector in Saudi Arabia,” it said.
