Expatriate worker protesting for better wages faces deportation
Dubai, Oct 28 (UNI) Expatriate workers of a construction company, including several Indians, involved in yesterday's violent protests in Dubai's industrial hub of Jebel Ali will be deported, UAE Labour Minister Ali bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi has said.
The government will consider deporting all protesters involved in vandalising police vehicles and public property irrespective of their numbers and placing a life ban on them from entering the UAE again, the official news agency WAM quoted the Minister as saying in Abu Dhabi.
The workers were demanding an increase of Dh 200 to Dh 400 in the modest Dh 600 they get, better living conditions and more buses to travel to work.
The protesters turned violent when police tried to car them off as they blocked the Jebel Ali Industrial Road. They pelted the police patrol and passing motorists with stones.
''We live in bad conditions. Everything around us in our accommodation is dirty and unhygienic,'' a worker said. The contracting company has six accommodation colonies housing 4000 workers.
''We will not be lenient with anyone who violates the country's law and threaten the security of the public,'' Dr Al Ka'abi said in a statement in response to the protest.
Humaid
Bin
Deemas,
assistant
undersecretary
at
Ministry
of
Labour,
told
Gulf
News:
''There
are
several
channels
for
workers
to
express
their
grievances
and
to
demand
their
rights,
but
to
protest
without
a
valid
reason
is
against
the
Labour
Law
and
to
commit
act
of
violence
is
against
the
law
and
order
of
this
country.''
UNI