30 August 2016
JEDDAH: While five provinces registered a noted increase in the number of labor cases, reaching 23,416, sources at the Human Rights Commission said Saudis from private companies who filed complaints ranked first in labor issues which were received by the commission during 2015 and 2016.

The number of Saudis who filed complaints reached 259, while Egyptians ranked second with seven complaints, Syrians came third with five complaints, Yemenis followed with four cases, Palestinians, Indians and Pakistanis had three complaints each. Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans filed two complaints each, and Jordanian, Somali, Mali and Indonesians filed one complaint each.

The number of complaints against sponsors and private companies reached 142 individuals; while the number of complainants from Saudi banks reached 21 individuals; those who complained from recruitment offices stood at one person; and the number of complainants against hospitals reached 12 people. Cases in conflicts between individuals and companies reached 95 cases; demands to adopt suggestions reached five; legal consultations reached 21; objections to administrative decisions reached 39; review applications reached 32; compensations applications reached 16; medical mistakes reached seven; and complaints against long procedures reached nine.

The preliminary and higher committees at the Ministry of Labor stated in a report that the number of labor cases reached 23,416 cases in five provinces. The number of affected Saudis reached 2,326 people, while residents reached 5,463.

Makkah province registered 709 affected Saudis and 1,332 residents; the number of affected Saudis in Jeddah reached 3,702, and residents reached 4,565; Madinah had 1,562 Saudis and 1,336; Abha had 425 Saudis and 1,241 residents; Jazan had 172 Saudis and 367 residents; Yanbu had 286 Saudis and 490 residents; while Taif had 430 Saudis and 559 residents.

Lawyer and legal adviser Tahfer Saeed Al-Salem said the majority of labor problems in Jeddah, Makkah and Riyadh result from unfair dismissals, saying that unpaid salaries of workers are due to the problems related to loss of capital because of unsuccessful projects.

He added that around 80 percent of these cases end with a judicial ruling from the labor committee. He revealed that preliminary and higher committees suffer from lack of clear vision, and are unable to notify workers about the length of time each issue stays with each committee.

© Arab News 2016