Labor disputes at new USJ campus construction site

Yesterday, a group of mainland- ers working at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) new campus construction site demanded their employer pay them the salary arrears totalling MOP7 million. Public Security Police officers and officials from the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) were called to the scene.
Information suggests that the workers went to the site yesterday morning and asked for their salaries. At one point, the site had to temporarily cease operation.
One of the workers told TDM that the incident involved almost 200 workers in different positions. He claimed that, following partial payment of their August and September salaries, they have still yet to receive any payment for October and November. He estimated that each worker involved was owed around MOP30,000 to MOP40,000. The total amount may reach as much as MOP7 million. The workers said that they do not know which party was responsible for their salaries and only hope that they will be paid as soon as possible.
DSAL released a statement yesterday afternoon claiming that it recognizes that around 150 mainland workers failed to receive their salaries and 21 workers have been dismissed. DSAL said that the contractor promised to pay workers on Friday and rehire 16 of the 21 non-resident workers previously dismissed. It will also compensate the remaining five workers.
In a response to the Times, USJ said it is “sorry to hear that there was a labor dispute” on the construction site of the new campus. It stated that both the university and the Catholic University Foundation “have always fulfilled our obligations” and “have never delayed the payment of relevant funds”. USJ said that it is “pleased to know that the parties of the dispute have reached an agreement and can resume the construction”. JPL