Disgruntled workers have effectively shut down the Al-Shimaisi Expressyway project between Makkah and Jeddah in protest over a three-month delay in salary payments.
The contractor at the centre of the dispute, referred to only as a “big company” in Saudi Arabia, has not been named.
However, one of the engineers on the project was quoted by the Asharq Arabic daily as stating that protesters had arrived at 07:00, closed the gate, and would not allow any trucks to enter or leave the site.
The engineer, who requested anonymity, said that the workers were frustrated with the company. “The workers have asked the company several times to pay them their delayed salaries, but the company kept putting them off by blaming some procedures.”
“The workers also protested over salary delays a year ago,” he added. Salem Al-Ahmadi, one of the workers, said the police had arrived at the scene, together with a representative from Makkah Emirate and a senior official from the contractor.
It is not yet known if the situation has been resolved amicably, or if the striking workers have been removed from the project site.
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