MSJ predicts hard times for workers

In a media statement yesterday, political leader David Abdulah said 25 per cent of the population or more than 300,000 people live in poverty even though the country had experienced oil and gas booms in the recent past.

“Now that we are in a period of economic crisis due to the fall in oil and gas prices and the rapid decline in the production of oil and gas and petrochemicals; the situation will get much worse for workers,” Abdulah said, adding thousands of workers had lost their jobs by retrenchment or non-renewal of contracts while young workers, including thousands of university graduates, cannot find decent jobs.

“Some employers are cutting workers’ pay and forcing them to work longer hours without overtime; prices are going up every day making it difficult for families to make ends meet; additional taxes are being piled on the backs of workers; farmers and our nation’s food producers are fighting every day just to survive and small business-people and the self-employed are seeing sales fall and fear losing their business.” He said nothing is being done to stop corruption and white collar crime as neither of the two traditional parties possess “any commitment whatsoever to creating a more just and equitable society.