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Saudi Arabia : Angry Indian & Pakistani workers protested for not being paid for 7 months. [PIC]

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Foreign workers in Saudi have increasingly broke a strict ban on striking as a financial crisis has led to a wage crisis across the kingdom.

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Scores of foreign staff at Saudi Arabian company the Saad Group blocked a road in the Eastern Province on Tuesday as part of a protest over not being paid in more than seven months.
Footage sent to MEE showed a large group of mainly Indian and Pakistani workers stopping traffic on the road that links the town of al-Hasa to the Eastern Province’s capital Dammam.

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Saudi billionaire Maan al-Sanea owns the Saad Group, which made headlines last week when staff at one of its hospitals began an open-ended strike over not being paid since May.
On its website the Saad Group says it runs “diversified businesses” in the Gulf and has investments around the world.
The foreign workers striking on Monday have not been paid since February amid rumours that the company’s owner has been siphoning off money for himself rather than paying wages.
An American doctor at the Saad Specialist Hospital who is on strike said on condition of anonymity: “We think the owner is taking 600,000 riyals ($160,000) a day in cash out of the hospital."

Saad employees told MEE they do not understand where company revenues are being spent, as last month private healthcare firm Bupa paid the firm 13 million riyals ($3.7 million) in dues.
None of that money has been paid out in wages, workers told MEE.
“The cash just kind of disappears,” the American doctor said. “Nobody is really sure why there is an issue.”
The company's billionaire owner has drawn the ire of staff because of his continued lavish parties, for which he regularly flies in famous singers from around the world. The American doctor said the owner has planned another party for Tuesday evening.
"The owner is having parties while staff at his company can't feed their children or send them to school," the doctor said. "It is disgusting."
An official source told MEE last week that King Salman is eager to resolve the hospital's situation, and that local authorities in the Eastern Province have given the owner three options: he either fixes the problem, partners with another Saudi billionaire, or the government takes over the hospital.

Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a financial crisis because of a collapse in oil revenues that account for 80 percent of government income. On Tuesday the government announced that it was cutting ministerial and public sector salaries and slashing bonuses and perks in order to cut the budget deficit.
In 2015 the government posted a record $98bn budget deficit, causing many of the kingdom’s construction projects to be suspended or cancelled.
On Monday a second hospital in the Eastern Province went on strike as staff have not been paid since May. Doctors and nurses at the Dr Fakhry & Alrajhi Hospital in Khobar City blocked their clinic's corridors while holding signs calling for the owners to pay up.


Doctors and nurses at the Fakhry & Rajhi Hospital in Saudi's Khobar on strike - salaries not paid in 4 months.


Striking staff were unwilling to go on the record about their protest due to fears of being punished by authorities. However, one staff member on Tuesday told MEE on condition of anonymity that everyone at the hospital was paid after yesterday's strike action.
The employee said staff believe the delay in paying wages was down to the Ministry of Health not paying the owner for completed government work.
The hospital's owner is Saudi businessman Abdul Rehman Saleh Al-Rajhi. He also owns another private hospital in Khobar called Procare. No one from the either hospital responded to repeated requests for comment.
Staff at the Saad Specialist Hospital remain unpaid and told MEE they have continued with their strike action.

Public protests and strikes are banned in Saudi Arabia but unpaid workers across the kingdom have increasingly risked arrest by holding demonstrations and strikes amid desperate attempts to get their wages.

One Pakistani employee at the Riyadh-based construction firm United Seemac told MEE on Monday it has become a “do or die” situation for workers in the kingdom.
Kamran Bhatti, a designer from Islamabad who has worked in Saudi Arabia for five years, said he was moving from the south-east city of Khamis Mushait to the capital Riyadh to unite with other unpaid colleagues.
Despite the risk of arrest, Bhatti said workers are determined to get their money.
“There is no other option left and I really don’t know what will happen there [in Riyadh],” he said. “But I feel more of us will be in Riyadh and this will make us more united and more effective.”
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/a...public-protest-over-unpaid-salaries-243824701
 
Something tells me we will see more strikes in Saudia Arabia due to depressed oil prices. The end result could be foreign workers leaving the kingdom in droves as opportunities dry up.
 
Saudi billionaire Maan al-Sanea owns the Saad Group

Maan al Sanea is a well know crook who is accused of scamming billions of riyals and laundering them overseas..
Same is true for Saad Hariri who owns Saudi oger...basically previous government was a cartel of crooks and criminals and lefts a huge mess for the Salman govt to clean up...

https://cnsbusiness.com/2016/07/false-start-for-mammoth-saudi-fraud-trial/

http://www.economist.com/news/busin...g-huge-corporate-scandal-gulf-are-still-being

https://www.caymancompass.com/2016/07/19/opening-salvos-in-massive-saudi-fraud-case/
 
I remember how Saudi members and Co and GCC aligned 'analysts' boasted a year ago about how KSA is trying to 'bring Iran and Russia to their knees' by reducing oil prices and I told them just wait few months. Guess what I said is getting closer to reality everyday, to an extent that the 'super wealthy' kingdom can't even pay salaries of its workers and has cancelled billions of dollars of ambitious projects.
 
Something tells me we will see more strikes in Saudia Arabia due to depressed oil prices. The end result could be foreign workers leaving the kingdom in droves as opportunities dry up.

My dear no opportunity has dried up and foreign workers are still coming in droves..those you see protesting has more to do with project being cancelled...there were hundreds of projects which were launched by cartels of crooks and criminals for the sole purpose of scamming the govt and because oil prices were...the govt did not bother..because there are no clear tendering rules in Saudi and influence plays a big role..
 
I remember how Saudi members and Co and GCC aligned 'analysts' boasted a year ago about how KSA is trying to 'bring Iran and Russia to their knees' by reducing oil prices and I told them just wait few months. Guess what I said is getting closer to reality everyday, to an extent that the 'super wealthy' kingdom can't even pay salaries of its workers and has cancelled billions of dollars of ambitious projects.

It already happened.....

http://www.arabnews.com/node/980341/saudiarabia

Saudi is cleaning up acts of massive scams...and many harsh decision will be made in month ahead which will push many such contractors out of business....
 
I am not sure whether KSA underwrites these liabilities (due wages) of private sector (e.g. Saad Group) as per local law? Either way $3.7 mil is a very affordable amount by the state. Yes low oil price has some impact, but check the numbers, latest net foreign assets (comparable to NIIP in IMF's term) as of July 2016 is US$ 555 billion, so KSA is still one of the largest creditor nations in the world, her financials are still in good shape.


Moreover, they might sell ARAMCO stakes to strategic investors (from other major creditor nations e.g. China, Japan) in pre-IPO round, the forex proceeds should be more than enough to pay foreign workers.

 
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Russia's economy has almost collapsed. Do you not follow the news? KSA and UAE combined have an economy bigger than 145 million big Russia nowadays which is even more resource rich. In fact they are the most resource rich country in the world followed by the US, China, GCC and others.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_financial_crisis_(2014–present)

Iran is struggling too. More so than KSA.

KSA remains a G-20 major economies member state.

Both the GDP (PPP) per capita and GDP (nominal) per capita of KSA is among the highest in the entire world.





Being "poor" in KSA would be considered as being rich or at worst as middle class in all of the Muslim and developing world, expect in the GCC. Saudi Arabians are some of the most pampered people. You should at least know this by now. The era of free riders have almost ended which is some of the most encouraging news that you can think of. Will benefit KSA greatly.

This is a propaganda article written by a Western media as usual. There is currently a propaganda campaign aimed at KSA. Various Western media are trying to outdo one another in the amount of nonsense they can write about KSA.

KSA is a G-20 Major economies member state. Saudi Arabia's GDP is expected to reach 1.8 trillion US dollars by 2030 according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research. PricewaterhouseCoopers thinks the Saudi GDP will be 2.0 trillion US dollars by 2030. Making KSA the 18th biggest economy.

KSA remains the largest creditor and surplus nation in the world.

As for this news, it concerns a few hundred workers out of almost 8 million expats. This is nothing. Nor does it have anything to do with the Saudi Arabian state but rather private firms. Most specifically Saudi Binladin Group, Saudi Oger and Saad Group. All private construction firms that have been run purely for years. Cleaning them up properly will benefit everyone.

As for projects, hardly any projects have been cancelled at all. In fact solely a few construction projects have been postponed (not cancelled) and none of them are major ones. The expansion of Makkah and Madinah is in full swing, Riyadh metro, Makkah-Madinah railway, various other infrastructural projects in the form of railways, highways, dams, airports etc. Let alone all the promising industrial cities, KAEC, Jeddah Tower or investment in education and educational institutions. The private sector is doing really well.

Not to say that the non-oil and gas sector is growing in KSA.

Or the promising Saudi Vision 2030.

http://vision2030.gov.sa/en



Anyway the number of expats, especially those that are not highly educated or educated enough (manual workers) will be reduced significantly in the coming years and that would have happened regardless of what would/will occur.

As for IMF, well they have already, this very year (July 2016), concluded that KSA is in a strong position and that the country will bounce back very shortly.

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Article...-Board-Concludes-2016-Article-IV-Consultation

I am afraid that doomsayers will remain butthurt for a very long time to come. Likely their entire lives.

Anyway, an Arab-obsessed Iranian created this thread. Some surprise. Thread number 4-5 created by an Iranian about KSA this week alone! Keep it going! Maybe you guys making threads on a Pakistani forum will hurt the Saudi Arabian economy.:rofl:



I say that every of the 25 million Saudi Arabian nationals, should donate 1 dollar, in order for more toilets to be built in both countries. Some more humanitarian work to defeat poverty as well. Both appear to be badly needed.
Rightly said.. KSA is a very rich country and got even richer by exploiting and keeping salaries of toilet less poor people!! Keep it up and be the richest.
 
Anyway the number of expats, especially those that are not highly educated or educated enough (manual workers) will be reduced significantly in the coming years and that would have happened regardless of what would/will occur.

As for IMF, well they have already, this very year (July 2016), concluded that KSA is in a strong position and that the country will bounce back very shortly.

Due to outdated tender specifications in government project the overhead of man power is very high..and because modren mechanization cuts down man power in construction today many of these workers were being "rented" out..or set up their free lancing shops..Saudi desperately need an overhaul where efficiency and lowest number of workforce is favored rather than government dictating how many workers should be appointed to a project...we have such problems on all our projects some of which call for 150 workers and with machinery and mechanization we can make it with only 30 workers...but there is a forced payroll overhead of 120 workers who are not productive..
 
Why did my post, the one that was thanked by 4 users, suddenly disappear (not display)?

Posting it again.

I remember how Saudi members and Co and GCC aligned 'analysts' boasted a year ago about how KSA is trying to 'bring Iran and Russia to their knees' by reducing oil prices and I told them just wait few months. Guess what I said is getting closer to reality everyday, to an extent that the 'super wealthy' kingdom can't even pay salaries of its workers and has cancelled billions of dollars of ambitious projects.

Russia's economy has almost collapsed. Do you not follow the news? KSA and UAE combined have an economy bigger than 145 million big Russia nowadays which is even more resource rich. In fact they are the most resource rich country in the world followed by the US, China, GCC and others.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_financial_crisis_(2014–present)

Iran is struggling too. More so than KSA.

KSA remains a G-20 major economies member state.

Both the GDP (PPP) per capita and GDP (nominal) per capita of KSA is among the highest in the entire world.





Being "poor" in KSA would be considered as being rich or at worst as middle class in all of the Muslim and developing world, expect in the GCC. Saudi Arabians are some of the most pampered people. You should at least know this by now. The era of free riders have almost ended which is some of the most encouraging news that you can think of. Will benefit KSA greatly.

This is a propaganda article written by a Western media as usual. There is currently a propaganda campaign aimed at KSA. Various Western media are trying to outdo one another in the amount of nonsense they can write about KSA.

KSA is a G-20 Major economies member state. Saudi Arabia's GDP is expected to reach 1.8 trillion US dollars by 2030 according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research. PricewaterhouseCoopers thinks the Saudi GDP will be 2.0 trillion US dollars by 2030. Making KSA the 18th biggest economy.

KSA remains the largest creditor and surplus nation in the world.

As for this news, it concerns a few hundred workers out of almost 8 million expats. This is nothing. Nor does it have anything to do with the Saudi Arabian state but rather private firms. Most specifically Saudi Binladin Group, Saudi Oger and Saad Group. All private construction firms that have been run purely for years. Cleaning them up properly will benefit everyone.

As for projects, hardly any projects have been cancelled at all. In fact solely a few construction projects have been postponed (not cancelled) and none of them are major ones. The expansion of Makkah and Madinah is in full swing, Riyadh metro, Makkah-Madinah railway, various other infrastructural projects in the form of railways, highways, dams, airports etc. Let alone all the promising industrial cities, KAEC, Jeddah Tower or investment in education and educational institutions. The private sector is doing really well.

Not to say that the non-oil and gas sector is growing in KSA.

Or the promising Saudi Vision 2030.

http://vision2030.gov.sa/en



Anyway the number of expats, especially those that are not highly educated or educated enough (manual workers) will be reduced significantly in the coming years and that would have happened regardless of what would/will occur.

As for IMF, well they have already, this very year (July 2016), concluded that KSA is in a strong position and that the country will bounce back very shortly.

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Article...-Board-Concludes-2016-Article-IV-Consultation

I am afraid that doomsayers will remain butthurt for a very long time to come. Likely their entire lives.

Anyway, an Arab-obsessed Iranian created this thread. Some surprise. Thread number 4-5 created by an Iranian about KSA this week alone! Keep it going! Maybe you guys making threads on a Pakistani forum will hurt the Saudi Arabian economy.:rofl:

I say, both Indian and Pakistani workers take control of SA. Free oil for both countries, plus millions to be made from religious sites.

I say that every of the 25 million Saudi Arabian nationals, should donate 1 dollar, in order to facilitate more places intended for the disposal of human waste (the word appear to be banned on PDF) to be built in both countries. Some more humanitarian work to defeat poverty as well. Both appear to be badly needed. Also this is KSA, not your democracy liberal weakling state that allows foreigners to disrespect you. In KSA (worst case scenario) you end up with a bullet between your eyes or as a headless chicken. Which a Ethiopian child-murdering cleaning lady learned the hard way yesterday. Now go troll somewhere else and control your insults. Nobody insulted your country or people here. Arabs are world-renowned for their extreme generosity and hospitality but we don't take insults lightly.

Due to outdated tender specifications in government project the overhead of man power is very high..and because modren mechanization cuts down man power in construction today many of these workers were being "rented" out..or set up their free lancing shops..Saudi desperately need an overhaul where efficiency and lowest number of workforce is favored rather than government dictating how many workers should be appointed to a project...we have such problems on all our projects some of which call for 150 workers and with machinery and mechanization we can make it with only 30 workers...but there is a forced payroll overhead of 120 workers who are not productive..

Yes, as well as a much smaller public sector. Much more privatization is needed and a more knowledge based society. A work in process. See the latest Shanghai university rankings which place KSA as the best performing Muslim and MENA country outside of Israel. Let alone an serious increase of the number of Saudi Arabian women in the workforce. Due to various reasons (mainly political and social), their talents, despite being more educated than the men on average and among the most educated in the entire Muslim world, their contribution to the economy is minimal. Imagine how much growth KSA would experience if this sole topic was solved. Anyway the social, political and economic overhauls that will follow in the light of Saudi Vision 2030 will most likely solve most of such challenges and others.

Also this proposal is a good one IMO. KSA should continue to welcome expats from all across the world and mainly the Muslim world, as the country of the Two Holy Mosques, but their numbers should become much smaller and the focus should be on highly educated people. The era of manual work is quickly ending.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/988466/saudi-arabia

If the Saudi Vision 2030 will be implanted by 2030, I would not rule out KSA becoming the "USA of the East" (of course no direct comparison but you get the point here) as in welcoming and neutralizing expats. Hopefully not as they do in the West where every Tom and Dick used to become naturalized. Hence the many problems.

@somebozo and @Shotgunner51 is that particular word banned on PDF? Is that why my post disappeared? It even disappears if you spell it wrong deliberately. Crazy, haha. Strange, as the post was displayed for some time before suddenly disappearing.
 
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Something tells me we will see more strikes in Saudia Arabia due to depressed oil prices. The end result could be foreign workers leaving the kingdom in droves as opportunities dry up.

Sauds have $800 billion in reserves, they can easily pay foreigns workers what they are owed, but they rather toy with them. it's all about power.
 
Saudis have money to fight yemen war but not to pay to their workers specially south asians, they are giving salaries to their locals there, recession is only for Pakistanis, Indians and Bangalis. Our Foreign Ministry is so weak and our PM cum FM is useless, can we expect him to say something to SA. We should raise our Citizens concerns to SA govt, specially when they visit us to fight their war and come to Pakistan hastily looking for some assistance.
 

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