Kuwaiti employers face public humiliation from unpaid workers

Kuwait: A huge protest has been recorded on December 3, 2017 in Kuwait with Indian workers showing their displeasure over nonpayment of their wages for more than a year, according to the sources. Some Indian workers, who left their homes for better lives have been reported struggling to even live from hand to mouth in Kuwait.

According the reports, most of the protestants were from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

A witness of the protest, Naresh Naidu told MCR, ‘We came here for better life to fight with poverty, but we don’t have food to eat, our visas have expired while waiting for the infrastructure company in a pathetic situation.

‘We are even unable to go to hospitals in sickness as our stay has become illegal and if caught, we will be imprisoned.

‘I can only think of suicide. I haven’t been paid for the last 10 months and my stay here has become illegal. I have a lot of debts to repay in India.’

‘The company told us that it was not able to pay salaries as it didn’t have projects to execute.’

However, more than 72 workers were demonstrating outside the office carrying banners and placards.

Another worker Akram Ahmed, 43 years, said that company had put them up in a camp, which is 60km away from office. They did not have money to travel daily to the office to plead our case. The only thing we could do is sit there, slept here and waited till our plea was considered. But no one seemed to be bothered.”

Furthermore, the workers asked the Kuwaiti Government to interfere and pressurize their employers to pay their salaries.

Reporter: Syeda Faiza Bukhari