Hundreds of workers from two construction companies have lodged a complaint with Dubai police's labour hotline demanding months of unpaid wages, with officials giving a grace period for their bosses to hand over the money.
Major Aref Baqer from Dubai Police's Human Rights Department, where calls from the labour hotline are transferred, said 180 workers in one company were demanding three months of unpaid wages. In the other company, 189 workers wanted two months' salary.
He told Gulf News he expected the cases to be resolved "in the next two days or so".
"I think companies respect the authority of the police," he said, but declined to name the companies.
According to statistics at the department, he said 7,640 workers from 16 construction companies had been given more than Dh6 million in previously unpaid wages from November 1 until today.
Hotline helps fast-track grievances
Labour officials have said the Dubai police hotline has been a success in fast-tracking worker grievances.
Ali Rashid, a long-serving official from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in the Follow-Up section, tasked with investigating labour complaints, earlier said he had not received any major group complaints since the hotline began operations.The hotline is 8005005