No pay for 5 months, passports withheld: Indians stranded in Kuwait plead for help
Riepilogo
Date Reported: 10 Ago 2020
Location: Kuwait
Companies
Al Raqeeb Buildings General Contracting Co. - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: 88
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Bangladesh , Construction , Gender not reported ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( 37 - India , Construction , Gender not reported ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Nepal , Construction , Gender not reported )Issues
Intimidation , Right to Food , Contract Substitution , Precarious/Unsuitable Living Conditions , Restricted mobility , Withholding Passports , Personal Health , Wage Theft , Freedom of MovementResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Resource Centre
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: They state that they tried to engage with the company several times, finally protesting outside the Kuwaiti Ministry of Manpower. The workers also allege that occasions the company disconnected electricity and water, with police reconnecting the electricity. They are dependent on charitable food aid and have reportedly received verbal threats from their employer. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Al-Raqeeb to respond to the allegations in the article; they did not respond.
Source type: News outlet
Eighty-eight migrant workers, including 37 Indian nationals, employed by Al-Raqeeb Buildings General Contracting Company, a labour supply firm in Kuwait, have not been paid since March this year. Their employer cut off their water supply in April, stopped their ration and threatened to “kick them around like a football”. The company is even refusing to give back these workers their passports.
the men slept hungry, with twelve crammed in one room...
In April, the company cut the water supply to their dormitories...
In early June, after three months of wage arrears and no stipend to buy provisions, the 88 men stopped working in protest...
the workers learnt that Al-Raqeeb company cut the electricity supply to their dormitories...
the cops had it restored.
Since then, the employer has not contacted the workers.
“The company has not taken any measures to protect us from COVID-19; not even masks. We are now receiving food and other ration from social workers,” said [another worker].