84 OFW cleaners in UAE claim exploitation

ABS-CBN NEWS: 84 OFW cleaners in UAE claim exploitation
AJMAN, United Arab Emirates - More than 80 Filipino workers have taken up legal action against their employer who abandoned them in Ajman.

The case filed by the 84 school cleaners against the Lovito Cleaning Services before the Ministry of Labor was elevated to the Dubai Labor Court. The Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (POLO-OWWA) is now following up the case.

“Kini-case namin iyon. Ituloy ang case, i-update sila sa mga mangyayari kasi inaantay nila ang judgment. 'Yon lang ang makakapag-palaya sa amin sa penalty at makakapag-desisyon kung ano talaga ang para sa amin, kung dapat pa ba kaming magtrabaho o pauwiin na nila kami,” said one of the workers, Ma. Elena Amba.

The workers claimed their employer failed to pay them their wages for several months and then abandoned them.

“Ang trabaho namin school cleaner. Nakasaad po doon, 8 hours magtatrabaho; overtime, [may] bayad. Matatanggap na sahod, 1,700 Dirhams. Libre accommodation. Pero nong dumating, 700 lang ang sweldo. At nag-e-excess sa maximum na oras na dapat pasukan, hindi bayad. At pag nagkasakit, obligado pa na magpagamot sa sarili,” said Cindy Rodriguez.
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