Dubai: Construction workers protested yesterday morning ostensibly demanding overtime payments, but officials told Gulf News they were being “incited” to protest.
Sources said about 400 workers were demanding overtime money. Lieutenant Riyad Al Shafi from Dubai police’s human rights department said the labourers, who work on a site near International City, were “incited” to protest because six or seven workers wanted to go home.
“The problem was resolved almost immediately,” he said.

Al Shafi said he was unaware of any other issues the workers had raised.

He said he was frustrated because “the workers had our contact numbers, but decided to make a problem instead and waste our time. I can understand workers complaining because of late wages, but this is chaos.”

Al Shafi said protest numbers were declining as employers are increasingly ensuring workers are paid on time. At the same time, he said workers were inciting others to protest for “silly reasons.”

“This is really a waste of our time,” he said.