Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has rushed to the rescue of around 150 workers at an electromechanical company who have not been paid for several months in Abu Dhabi’s Al Ruwais area.
“The ministry is working hard to resolve the issues between EMGuard company and their employees. The welfare of the workers is our number one priority at the ministry and we are looking into each and every case to ensure their rights and entitlements are upheld,” said Mohsin Ali Al Nasee, director of Inspection Department, Abu Dhabi, at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
“We can confirm that we have encashed the company’s deposited bank guarantee, which is being used to settle the dispute,” he added.
The official confirmed that the workers have been provided with two options; they can choose to cancel their current work permits and remain in the country to find other work or they can choose to return to their home countries, which we will be facilitated by the ministry.
“Majority of the workers have chosen to go back to their home countries,” he said.
Al Nasee said the ministry has cancelled 75 workers’ residence visas and work permits, as per their request, and is doing everything possible to settle their accounts and get them home.
“Our team is working round the clock to process the remaining cases,” he added.
Gulf News took up the plight of the workers with the ministry last week.
M.K., a 45-year-old worker from India, said he had not been paid for six months. “The company has been providing us food but still it has been very difficult without getting salary. I was very happy to hear that the bank guarantee is being used now to solve our problems,” he said.
“I can’t wait to be reunited with my family,” M.K. added.
K.A., a 35-year-old from Bangladesh said, “I have not received my salary for six months. I haven’t been able to buy anything or even call my family.”
H.B., a 40-year-old from India, said, “I have not been paid for eight months. I am the sole breadwinner of my family, so it has been very tough on them too. I am looking forward to going home soon.”
But not everyone wants to return home. S.M., a 35-year-old from India, said he wants to look for another job in the UAE. “With the ministry’s support, I expect to get an NOC [no-objection certificate] from the company and, hopefully, I will find another job soon.”
The company’s owner confirmed that the company was not in a position to pay around 150 employees for several months.
“Unfortunately we have been facing financial troubles. Our clients have not paid us for several months which has badly affected us,” the owner of the company told Gulf News.
“When we were not able to pay salaries, the workers stopped working, which did not help the situation with our clients, but we are still trying to recover the money,” she added.
She said they did not wish for any of the workers to be in this situation so they finally asked the ministry to encash their bank guarantee to help the workers and resolve the situation.
“We really regret this whole situation and we understand this affects people’s families, too, but unfortunately it has been completely out of our control,” she added.