Dubai: Indian Embassy in Bahrain has initiated talks to resolve a major strike by over 1,300 construction workers, most of them Indians, who are demanding better salary and other benefits.

Indian diplomats are talking to the workers and the management of the GP Zacharides company, based in Durrat Al Bahrain, in order to bring an early end to the row, officials sources told PTI. Employees of the construction company downed tools yesterday asking for hike in their salary.

The workers participating in the strike belong mainly to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The workers said they would not call off their strike until the demands were met. The strike comes days after Indian Ambassador Balkrishna Shetty revealed plans to fix BD100 (Rs 10,507) as minimum wage for Indian workers in the Gulf.

"We have decided to halt work until we get a salary rise. All we get paid is a basic of BD57 (Rs 5,989) despite the fact that companies are making huge profits from us," he said. Workers also complained that the firm did not provide adequate medical facilities to the workers.

Source : PTI