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MANILA, Philippines?Three more groups of Filipino caregivers working in a children?s rehabilitation center in Saudi Arabia have decided to stop working due to alleged salary non-payment, reduction and illegal deduction.
The more than 60 workers?recruited by Annasban firm and deployed to the rehabilitation centers?joined their colleagues, also Filipinos, who also stopped working last month due to alleged contract violations and poor working conditions.
The new group sought the Philippine government?s help through the overseas Filipino workers? organization in Saudi Arabia, the Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan, the Riyadh chapter of Migrante-Middle East.
According to John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Mideast regional coordinator, 46 Annasban workers called and texted KGS officers pleading for help, claiming they could no longer continue working and have decided to stop beginning October 12.
The second group, about 10, who were working in a different job site complained of two to three months delay of their salaries, illegal deductions and non-payment for overtime.
KGS learned about another group, numbering six, after the sister in Manila of one of the workers approached the Migrante International office Quezon City to seek help.
Monterona said KGS president Eric Jocson has already referred the complaints of the three groups with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Office in Riyadh.
POLO-Riyadh has been negotiating with Annasban and the owners of the rehabilitation centers for the original group of 23 complaining OFWs. A meeting was held October 13, according to Monterona.
However, he accused one of the employers of vindictiveness after the OFWs in the original group reported to him that on the same day, some of them were transferred to other accommodations and their mobile phones confiscated.
?We would like to remind the POLO officials, as representatives of the government that they are mandated to protect the rights of our fellow OFWs, especially victims of labor malpractices. They should to defend and protect our OFWs? rights in dealing with erring employers, and not to compromise our OFWs? interests,? Monterona said.
He also asked POLO to ?seriously consider? blacklisting recruiters and overseas employers who are often the subject of complaints of violating contractual obligations to hired workers. ?The POLO should never at all approve a job order for them (erring recruiters and employers),? Monterona said.
