JEDDAH — Saudi employees who were allegedly fired from a Makkah hotel without any justification have demanded their jobs back after the labor disputes commission hearing the case ruled that the hotel pay them compensation for psychological and social damages. The commission rejected the plea for reinstatement on the grounds of an unpleasant relationship that existed between the two sides, Al-Hayat Arabic daily reported. "The commission also observed that the employees were not keen on returning to work in the hotel," the paper added. One of the affected employees, who requested anonymity, said the appeal includes demand for reemployment. "If reinstatement is not possible, we demand payment of full dues including end of service benefits and compensation in accordance with the Labor Law," he added. He said the commission did not consider the rules of reinstating an employee who was fired arbitrarily by a firm and payment of compensation for the years of service and the end of service benefits. He said the hotel moved against them when it learned that a group of 50 Saudi employees, whose services were terminated, had sent a petition to Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal. "When the hotel management knew about this communication with the governor they fired me and 10 other Saudis accusing us of instigating other workers," he pointed out. He said the management had leveled false accusations against them saying they were fired on the basis of Article 80 of the Labor Law, which says that an employee who verbally abuses his or her superiors at the work place shall be terminated. "This accusation is not correct as we have not abused anyone," he added. A commission official also agreed that the employees had not verbally attacked their bosses at the hotel, adding that the hotel did not produce any evidence to prove its claim. "It has also refused to accept the oath of employees, which is crucial in this case," he said. He said the commission was convinced that the employees were terminated without any genuine reason. "As a result, it asked the hotel to pay them for psychological and social damages." The commission had earlier refused to accept a joint petition by five employees against the hotel on the grounds that they have resigned from the institution and accepted their individual petitions. The Saudi employees claimed that the hotel violated Article 33 of the Labor Law by employing a large number of illegal workers and sheltering them at times of labor inspections. "It has also violated Article 26 of the Labor Law that insists employment of adequate number of Saudi workers to meet Saudization conditions," the affected Saudi told the daily. The management violated the law by not appointing Saudis in administration jobs and employing expats instead after creating new job titles, he explained.
