Why do the workers protest?

Today's Arab Times...

Workers protest as govt boots out 'cleaning' firm; Salaries unpaid for several months

KUWAIT CITY: In an extraordinary situation in Kuwait, about 3,000 cleaning
company workers of an unidentified company demonstrated and refused to hand over
the keys and other items in their possession to the workers of the new
contracting company when their company's contract with the Al-Razi, Maternity,
Chest and Allergy Diseases hospitals was terminated. A reliable source told the
Arab Times the company had violated one of the terms and conditions of the
contract by not paying the workers for several months and forcing them to
demonstrate and refuse to work thus disrupting the cleaning services at several
hospitals. When the workers refused to leave the premises at these hospitals, a
police force led by Director of the Security Directorate of the Capital
Governorate Brigadier Dr Mustafa Al-Zuaabi rushed to the place and threatened to
take action if the workers don't abide by the laws of the country. It has also
been reported after the arrest of one of the workers believed to be the man
leading the demonstration, the disheartened workers quietly left the place.
Those present during the negotiations were the acting Undersecretary of the
Ministry of Health Dr Ali Al-Seif, Undersecretary of the Legal Affairs
Department Dr Abdulkareem Jaafar, Director of the Legal Affairs Department
Mahmoud Abdulhadi, Director of the Chest Diseases Hospital Dr Fahd Al-Khalifah
and Director of the Maternity Hospital Dr. Mansour Sarkhouh. Most cleaning
workers get very low salaries - around KD 20 - but in the recent past the number
of protests by them have increased as they say even this meagre amount is not
paid to them for months.

That’s right boot out the workers who complain because they haven’t been paid – so not only are they not paid, they don’t have a job any more and they’re deported. And a new lot of workers are hired and the cycle starts again. The winner out of this merry-round - the Kuwait company owners. Lose one contract, that's OK... very profitable while it lasted, as very little in outgoings... and tomorrow I'll have another contract somewhere else.

And why exactly are the company names never released? Powerful families that can pay off the press me thinks. Wouldn’t want the reputation tarnished with bad publicity after all would we. Might not go down too well in the diwaniya.