Bahrain: Al Derazi's workers suffering a year of unpaid wages & unrenewed visas protest lack of utilities at labour camp, reports Migrant-Rights.org; cos. did not respond
Al Derazi, one of Bahrain's major crane and construction vehicles suppliers, has deferred on paying months of wages amounting to USD265,319, according to workers from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan interviewed by Migrant-Rights.org. Moreover, some of these workers' work visas have been expired for over a year. In October 2022, reports of workers protesting lack of electricity, water or gas at their labour camp after having to endure months without pay surfaced, which this investigation by Migrant-Rights.org revealed were Al Derazi workers.
After taking their issue to the Bahraini Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), the authority refused to handle complaints from workers whose visas have been expired for over a year, so only a small portion of the workers were able to file a claim. The Ministry of Labour eventually acknowledged the workers' ordeal, claiming the employer is involved in legal issues, and that they will release funds to pay them three months' salaries.
The Resource Centre could not find working email or phone contact information to invite Al Derazi to respond; if we receive a response in the future we will update this page to reflect it. Migrant-Rights.org report some of Al Derazi's prominent clients include Bahraini telecommunications giant Batelco, contracting company Aradous, and China Machinery Engineering Corporation. The Resource Centre reached out to all three in November 2022; they did not respond.
As of April 2023, Migrant-Rights.org report Al Derazi workers still do not have their dues.