ABU DHABI // George Cana, 48, arrived in February to work as a carpenter in a Dubai-based building materials company.
In March, he and 10 other carpenters, also from the Philippines, were forced to sign a new contract reducing their Dh1,500 monthly wage by Dh300. They also worked unpaid for nearly three months.
The men sought help from the Philippine overseas labour office in Dubai after the UAE branch of Migrante, a group set up to protect Filipinos overseas, referred their case to the Filipino labour officials.
They filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labour on April 15, and their company's management agreed to retain their original salary.
Mr Cana said the company did not treat them well after that. "We started getting salary deductions," he said.
His colleague, Elmer Imperador, 38, said the company became "very strict".
"We were forced to complete a job quickly," he said. "If we were unable to finish it at a given time, they automatically deducted a day's salary from us."
Soon their visas were cancelled by the company and, in May, the group returned to the Philippines.
Yuri Cipriano, the vice-chairman of Migrante-UAE, said it encouraged the group to file a complaint against their recruitment agency in Manila.
Mr Cana said the workers decided to accept a settlement of 32,000 pesos (Dh2,600) from the recruitment agency. With six children to support, he had been applying for construction jobs in Oman and Vietnam, he said.
@Email:rruiz@thenational.ae
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
How to tell if your child is being bullied at school
Sudden change in behaviour or displays higher levels of stress or anxiety
Shows signs of depression or isolation
Ability to sleep well diminishes
Academic performance begins to deteriorate
Changes in eating habits
Struggles to concentrate
Refuses to go to school
Behaviour changes and is aggressive towards siblings
Begins to use language they do not normally use
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Company%20Profile
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MATCH INFO
Qalandars 112-4 (10 ovs)
Banton 53 no
Northern Warriors 46 all out (9 ovs)
Kumara 3-10, Garton 3-10, Jordan 2-2, Prasanna 2-7
Qalandars win by six wickets
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5