Pinoy carpenters, masons lodge charges vs. Korean contractor

MANILA, Philippines — Some 61 Filipino carpenters and masons filed a complaint with the Dubai labor ministry against a Korean contracting company, an online news site said Wednesday. Khaleej Times (www.khaleejtimes.com) reported the workers, who filed the complaint Tuesday, accused Korean firm Shinson of not paying their salaries. The report said the ministry set the first hearing on February 18 after the representative of the company did not show up for any possible settlement. Jocelyn Hapal, head of the Philippine Mobile Re-integration Task Force Overseas Operations Coordinating Service, accompanied the workers to the ministry's office. The workers had registered with the task force for alternative source of income if they chose to go home. Joel Alvarez, 38, said the company had paid the workers' salaries since December last year. Last Jan. 3, an administrative officer identified only as Yu visited their accommodation in front of the West Green School in Sharjah, and instructed them to stop reporting for work at the Business Bay Crossing job site in Dubai. "We were told that the company would still give us the salaries although we were forced to stop working from January 7. Nothing happened until we decided to lodge our complaints with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office on January 12," Alvarez said. The 61 Filipinos were among the almost 150 total work force, which included Bangladeshis and Indians, who did not come forward to complain. Workers said an unidentified Bangladeshi worker died of sickness inside their accommodation last Jan. 15. "The police came to remove the body, but no one from the company came as no one would pick up the phone," Alvarez said. He added that lack of food and money, and sickness have become their problem. He said some shops gave them groceries and food on credit but stopped three days ago. Also, the distressed workers said they are ready to leave for Manila once they are given their salaries, benefits and return air tickets. The workers expressed gratitude to the Mobile Re-integration Task Force, which briefed them on alternative sources of income back home. "I have decided to get a loan under the returning distressed overseas workers program and start a small business under the supervision of my wife," Alayon said. He planned to go for free training with the government's Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in the Philippines and open some small-scale business. - GMANews.TV