Bahrain - More than 240 labour cases were filed by Bahraini workers in the private sector in the first six months of the year, according to a report by a labour union.

The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions released its Monitoring Committee Private Sector Report covering the period from January to June and highlighting challenges faced by workers employed in companies.

The report states that 244 labour cases were heard by the respective courts or dispute committees during the above period.

The cases related to dismissals of Bahraini workers due to different factors.

In January 10 labour cases were heard followed by February (11), March (nine), April (176), May (24) and June (14).

Of the total cases, 198 were filed by men and 46 by women.

A vast majority of the cases, around 173, dealt with commercial workers, followed by 30 complaints from construction workers, 12 from manufacturing, eight from service firms and five from the healthcare sector, according to the report.

Other inquiries featured three complaints each from transportation and telecommunication sector, tourism sector, education sector and hotel workers.

There were also two complaints each from workers from the financial sector and security sector.

No complaints have been registered from the entertainment sector so far this year.

According to the report, prepared by the union’s assistant general secretary for the private sector Hud Shamsan, 226 Bahraini workers have been let go from their workplaces so far this year.

Two people were dismissed because they were unable to pass the probationary period at their respective companies, one in January and the other in February.

Three workers were released following the expiry of their employment contracts, one each in March, April and June.

Meanwhile, five workers were reportedly let go without proper notification or compensation, including two who were dismissed in February, one in April and two in June.

Four Bahraini workers were dismissed due to what the employers described as ‘incompetence’, including one in February, one in April and two in May.

The vast majority, around 168 workers, were let go either due to a restructuring of the company, or partial or complete closure of the workplace, with one being dismissed in January, 159 in April and eight in May, the report states.

The remaining 44 cases were allegedly unlawful dismissals, including seven in January, five in February, seven in March, 14 in April, three in May and eight in June.

Former MP Salman Salem stated that many Bahraini employees were worried about their future and there is a general sense of pessimism among local workers due to the prevalence of temporary work contracts.

“The psychological, moral, professional, financial, social and familial conditions of employees on temporary contracts cannot be understated,” he said in the report.

“They carry out their work diligently, loyally and to the best of their abilities and yet can be suddenly let go without proper reasoning.

“Some employers do not even bother talking face to face and just send the workers a text message, notifying them of their dismissal and are simply told that the employer is no longer in need of their services.

“There have been cases of local workers being unjustly dismissed in the evening while they are sitting with their family or friends, without even the slightest warning.”

According to the Labour Ministry, 29,533 citizens managed to get jobs as part of the National Employment Programme 2.0 last year, higher than the set goal of 25,000 jobs.

Additionally, 11,078 citizens also underwent job training last year, higher than the goal of 10,000 trainees that was also set as part of the programme.

According to the latest figures from the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), about 8,264 Bahrainis are receiving employment support, with about 7,585 of them being between the ages of 18 and 35.

Meanwhile, around 11,257 Bahrainis are receiving career development support, with 8,253 of them being between the ages of 18 and 35. A total of 5,060 enterprises in the country are also receiving support from the labour fund, with about 57 per cent of them being small and medium enterprises.

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