Timely intervention helps Lankan apparel workers in Bahrain

Rasika Somarathna

Timely intervention by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella defused a tense situation involving over 200 Sri Lankan migrant apparel workers and their employers in Bahrain.

According to SLBFE Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka over 200 employees working at Nobel Garments in Bahrain had struck work for over two weeks due to improper payment of wages.

Later the other employees numbering around 200 too had come in support of the move as the Authorities had refused to pay the promised salary of BD 60 per month paying only 40 BD contrary to the agreement.

According to Ranawaka intervening on behalf of workers earlier had been a difficult issue as Sri Lanka did not have an embassy in Bahrain.

”But the recent MOU signed between the two countries has changed all that and has given the Lankan Government regulatory powers to deal directly with Bahrain”, Ranawaka said.

“Accordingly, Minister of Foreign Employment and Welfare Keheliya Rambukwella called his counterpart in Bahrain directly to resolve the matter and got a very positive response where the Bahraini Government’s immediate intervention had resolved the salary anomaly thus averting further difficulties”, Ranawaka said.

The Government recently signed MOU’s with several countries regarding migrant worker rights, welfare and employment opportunities, and according to Ranawaka this has strengthened the Bureau ‘s hand in directlydealing with the relevant Governments in any case involving Sri Lankan migrant workers.

The authorities in recent times has signed MOU’s with UAE, Jordan, Libya, Bahrain, Korea and Kuwait seeking better protocol on issues related to Sri Lankan migrant workers.

”Sri Lanka also plans to enter into similar MOU’s with Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Japan, Canada and Israel in the near future”, Ranawaka said.