8,000 strike work over salary delay

Mishal Al-Otaibi

Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — Protesting delay in payment of their salaries, about 8,000 contract workers struck work in the capital Sunday.

Security forces surrounded the workers assembled in northern Al-Aqeeq District early in the morning and tried to pacify them.

The police also diverted traffic from Takhassusi Street south of the North Ring Road to King Fahd Road.

They asked the striking workers to note down their demands and send their delegates to speak with their employers to redress their grievances.

But the workers refused to relent and staged a sit-in on the road for about six hours. Several divisions of security forces and ambulances were seen in the area.

The workers belonged to a number of private companies, which have concluded contracts with the Ministry of Finance to implement various projects as part of King Abdullah Financial Center in Al-Aqeeq.

A number of workers said they did not receive salary for the last three months while some others said they have not been paid for five months.

Speaking to Saudi Gazette, one worker said that their sponsor informed them that he will deduct SR2,400 from their salaries in order to pay the labor office, following the order of the Ministry of Labor to levy an additional fee of SR2,400 per laborer if they exceed the number of Saudi workers.