JEDDAH — A number of workers employed by one of the cleaning companies in Jeddah have accused the firm of failing to pay them the salaries stipulated in their work contracts. The workers' complaints also underline the company's failure to provide them with medical insurance, annual vacations or hygienic accommodations, also emphasized in the contracts. Talking to local daily Al-Madinah, the workers asked the Jeddah municipality to intervene in their case to ensure that their labor rights are protected. Nurul Islam, a Bangladeshi national, said he secured a Saudi visa through a recruitment office in his country after paying a very high fee to work for a cleaning company in Saudi Arabia. The agreement was for a monthly salary of SR1,500, in addition to medical insurance and accommodation. “When I arrived in Jeddah, I discovered that my salary is only SR250, I have no medical insurance and I am accommodated in a room with 14 other people,” he said. Islam said all their efforts with the company to honor the contract provisions and increase their salaries have failed. “We were only given false promises,” he added. Another worker, who identified himself as Maddshud, said it is impossible for him to send money to his family back home with his monthly salary of SR400. “I talked to the company's officials several times to increase my salary, but they refused,” he said. Badruddin, also from Bangladesh, asked the Jeddah municipality to intervene and help solve their issues. “Our problems stem from the delay or nonpayment of our monthly salaries, the cramped accommodation and lack of medical insurance,” he said. Badruddin said workers of various nationalities were accommodated in the same room. “This creates daily scuffles between us,” he said. He claimed that the company was also keeping their residence permits at its headquarters. An official of the company, who did not want to be identified, denied these claims and said the company was honoring all its commitments toward these workers. He said, according to the company's regulations, no room should accommodate more than four people. Lawyer Katib Al-Shammari said the workers are entitled to have all their rights honored by their employer. “The workers can make their demands in an official letter to the employer. If the company refuses to respond, they should address the same letter to the Jeddah municipality, which is responsible for all the cleaning companies,” he said. Meanwhile, Dr. Hussain Al-Sharif, supervisor of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) in Makkah province, warned that cleaning companies found guilty of violating the rights of their laborers will be fined up to SR500,000 and the company's heads could face stiff prison terms. “The Kingdom has made a number of changes in its labor law to protect the rights of foreign workers,” he said. Al-Sharif asked the cleaning companies to honor commitments stipulated in the work contracts. “The workers should receive their monthly payments on time, have medical insurance, good accommodation and enjoy their annual vacations,” he said.
