Expat workers demand salary hike in Sharjah

Sharjah, Mar 19: About 1,500 expatriate workers, including Indians of an electro-mechanical company, demanding a salary hike went on the rampage in Al Saja'a area of Sharjah, destroying documents and breaking glass facades of their accommodation, burning cars and the ground floor of the administration building.

They also burnt a number of buses and vehicles belonging to the company yesterday, according to the Gulf News. Some workers have been arrested. A fortnight ago the workers had named a representative to discuss with labour officials a salary hike. The officials were in negotiations with the company management to reach a solution, police informed.

''Before a solution could be found, the labourers went on the rampage. A group of workers was also involved in provoking the rest to go on strike and vandalism,'' said a police officer Many protests were prompted by low pay and poor living conditions and recently an NRI body had appealed to the Indian government to implement the proposed minimum wage condition for workers going abroad.

Police said the workers also rushed out into the company car park and set ablaze five cars and damaged 40 cars and 28 buses. They also tried to assault police officers and labour officials, they added.

UNI