Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The Saudi Binladin Group will pay delayed salaries to 10,000 workers by the end of this month, director of the branch of the Ministry of Labor and Social Development in Makkah Abdullah Al-Olayan has said. He said the company has completed the formalities to transfer iqamas (residence permits) of more than 15,000 workers allowing them to join other companies. Olayan said though the company has been reclassified as a construction company and the travel ban on its officials has been lifted, the computer services are still blocked till all workers are paid their delayed salaries. However, the company is able to renew iqamas of workers so that their bank accounts are not frozen and they can transfer their services elsewhere. "Recruitment services, the issuance of work visas, change of professions and other services are still on hold," he explained. Olayan asked the staff, who are demanding payment of delayed salaries, to file complaints at the commission's office on Hira Street in Al-Marwah district in Jeddah. According to the latest statistics, the company has paid off 69,000 workers. Of whom 34,207 have left them Kingdom after receiving their dues. Some 15,834 workers have transferred their iqamas to other sponsors while 7,754, who have been issued final exit visas, are still staying in the Kingdom. Olayan promised the companies wishing to employ the laid off Binladin workers to complete their iqama transfer procedures within 24 hours. He asked national construction companies to benefit from Binladin workers because they have sufficient expertise.
