Recruitment agencies slam minimum wages rule

Dubai, Feb 11 (UNI) Bahraini recruitment agencies have slammed the new minimum wages rules mooted by India, the Philippines and Bangladesh saying the Indian workers were willing to take up low paid jobs and the new rule was a one-sided decision by New Delhi.

Indians form the majority of foreign manpower as 40 per cent of them are post-graduates and are working in medical and banking sectors as well as major companies, while the rest are in low-paying jobs, the Gulf News reported.

India had fixed a minimum wage of 1000 dinars for those employed in Bahrain and was negotiating similar arrangements for other Gulf nations.

''The embassies' new rules are affecting our businesses, especially imposing minimum wage systems and costly paperwork procedures,'' Abas Redha Al Basri of Al Hubil Recruitment Agency said.

He claimed that domestic workers and labourers from India and the Philippines were against the minimum wage system.

He said Filipina maids had begun to accept to work for only Rs 6000 after they allegedly learnt that no one would hire them for Rs 15,000.

Mr Basri said Sri Lankan manpower was still in great demand in different sectors as, besides their skill, they came for lesser salaries than other workers.

Bahrain Construction Society president Nedham Kamashki said the minimum wages system was the one-sided decision by the governments as there were still thousands of Indian labourers who want to come to Bahrain at old salaries.

Mr Kamashki called upon certain embassies to work with the government of Bahrain to solve the free-visa problem before imposing minimum wages.

UNI XC SYU HT1634