70 Indian workers stranded in Saudi Arabia

Dubai, Jun 21: A group of 70 Indian workers were stranded in Riyadh after their Mumbai agent pocketed Rs one lakh each for jobs as janitor for 500 riyals (Rs 5000) a month. The group was promised a salary 1,000 riyals a month and jobs as chefs and cashiers. The sponsor ignored the contract drawn up in Mumbai and dictated his own terms after the workers arrived, the Arab News reported.

''Back home, we signed a contract for two years with the local agent in Mumbai for a monthly salary of 800 riyals (213 dollars) plus 200 riyals (53 dollars) for the food allowance,'' one of the workers said. Another worker said 70 of the 90 workers reluctantly agreed to the lower wages after the sponsor deported seven of the workers as an example of what would happen to the rest. The seven workers were sent back unemployed and Rs 1,00,000 poorer.

UNI