Cleaning Firm to Meet Philippine Officials Over Contract Row.

Summary: SHARJAH - The standoff between Filipino workers and their cleaning company based in Sharjah over the alleged breach in the contractual obligations seems to be easing with the firm agreeing to a meeting with officials of the Philippine Consulate General.

Philippine Consul-General Benito B. Valeriano told Khaleej Times that the meeting would be held as soon as Labour Attach Virginia P. Calvez comes back to Dubai from her vacation to Manila . That could be next week.

Calvez had blacklisted Speed Cleaning Co. and its manpower recruitment agency, HIBA International Inc., against bringing in more Filipino workers after a series of complaints from their workers last year.

Ayoub Asfour of Speed Group of Companies told Khaleej Times that if the Consulate General and the Philippine Overseas Labour Office want the management to give the workers air tickets and address any complaints, they should not blacklist the company.

He listed several allegations against the workers, including drunkenness, stealing and sleeping on the jobs.

oIf they have complaints against us, we also have problems due to their behaviour at work,o he said.

oWe are very much willing to settle these things, and the proof of this is our repeated requests for meetings in the past with the Philippine Labour Attache which have not been granted.o

He said the company has already settled the case of the sick complainant, Raymond Vargas, whose visa was cancelled. oHe is scheduled to be home either today or tomorrow.o

Elmer N. Joven, Welfare Officer of Philippine Overseas Labour Office handling the case, told Khaleej Times that the management sent two men to the office and handed over Dh2,100 of VargasAE salary and the air ticket to return home.

Vargas and his colleagues who highlighted the ono work, no payo policy of the company wanted to go home as he was not given cash advance for his medical expenses.

Asfour denied the allegation that the company pays only Dh450 as salary.

He said the minimum monthly salary his company is paying is Dh625 with an automatic annual increment of Dh25 to Dh50.

oAnyone may look at our payrolls for the last one year, not just this month. We are ready to let anyone inspect our records.o

Welfare officer Joven, however, said the salary these cleaners are getting is even lower than what the Philippine government has fixed for domestic helpers, which is US$400 a month.

Asfour said his company pays as per the contracts signed by the workers in the UAE.

oI am not aware of their agencyAEs offer of US$277 made in Manila .o

Denying other allegations, he claimed that the company provides 125 per cent wage as overtime payment for every hour on normal days and 150 per cent during holidays and Fridays.

He denied holding back two monthsAE salary of workers, saying the salaries are paid within 40 days if they are in arrears.

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