“We gave a notice to the management on April 8 and as we didn’t get a reply for 20 days we decided to go on strike,” Nasser Al Zedjali, an assistant guide at the resort, told Gulf News over telephone.
He said that soon after the turtle reserve was handed over to a commercial entity, the employees were promised a lot of incentives and better emoluments. “Nothing has improved in last four years,” he said, adding that none of the assistant guides has been promoted as guides despite promises.
“No new guides are appointed and at the same time they keep adding tourists to the groups watching turtle hatching on the beach,” he pointed out.
“It used to be 80-100 a night but now sometimes about 180-200 visitors are allowed in,” he said. According to Al Zedjali, allowing more number of visitors could also keep turtles away.
“No one seems to be bothered as their only aim is to make money,” he said.
He also alleged that the promised increments as well as bonuses were not given in the last four years.
“When we raise the issue we are thrown around like shuttle cock between the Tourism Ministry and Omran,” he pointed out.
He said that when Omran Hospitality took over the operations of the centre, they (Omani employees) were hopeful of improved working conditions. “It only proved to be a false hope,” he added.
“A strike by employees of Ras Al Jinz Scientific Centre started on Sunday,” Wael Al Lawati, CEO of Omran, told Gulf news in a statement emailed on Sunday.
He added that the strike followed extensive discussions held with staff in the presence of Omran management, ROP, Ministry of Manpower & Ministry of Tourism over the past two weeks.
“The key demands made in the last meeting did not constitute a legal right to strike according to the Ministry of Manpower officials,” he said.
“However, employees have decided to strike regardless. We are hopeful that a more constructive dialogue can commence soon,” he said.
