Wednesday, April 12, 2006

The WP reports the sad story of a group of Asian workers in Sharjah. Abandoned by a bankrupt company, no wages paid for their work, and a judgment in their favor. Yet the system is not working for them. They say "If they pay us, we'll go home alive. If they don't pay us, we'll go home dead."

This story reminded me of my days in the Middle East. Abdul Rahman, a man from Bangladesh, was the janitor assigned to my office in a leading regional airline. They were never paid on time, and their living conditions were terrible. Abdul Rahman was luckier as he worked in a building. Some of his co-workers had to endure working outside in 100 degrees temperature. What happened to the Prophet's (PBUH) teachings to "pay the laborer his wages before his sweat is dried"