Expat workers get higher pay, strike ends

Dubai, Mar 13 (UNI) More than 1000 expatriate workers in Bahrain , majority of them Indians, ended their five day strike after the management agreed to hike their basic salary to 70 Bahrain Dinars(BD) (about Rs 7000).

The workers had gone on strike apparently after the Indian government held back a proposal on minimum wage of 100 BD for Indian workers taking up jobs in the Gulf.

The strike was resolved after the Labour Ministry negotiated a deal which could fetch them a pay close to the proposed minimum wages, if other facilities were taken into acccount.

The workers of Haji Hassan Al Ali Group, based at two labour camps in Salmabad, had stopped going to work from Saturday, saying they were not being paid a 'decent salary'. They demanded, among other things, better living conditions.

''Expatriate workers who received a monthly salary of more than 70 BD will get a raise of 5 BD,'' the Gulf Daily News quoted an official as saying.

UNI XC SLD BST1154