Dubai Contractor Arabtec Says Workers End Strike

Dubai contractor Arabtec said on Wednesday that it had amicably resolved a labour dispute that resulted in a four-day work stoppage without clarifying whether the workers’ demand for higher wages were met.

“This unwarranted stoppage had been instigated by a minority group who will be held accountable for their actions,” United Arab Emirates’ largest publicly-listed construction firm said in a statement on Dubai’s bourse.

The firm said all workers had returned to work with no impact on any of its projects.

Thousands of workers employed by Arabtec have stayed away from work from Saturday to back wage demands, a rare labour protest in the Gulf emirate, where trade unions are banned.

Police were called into Arabtec labour accommodations on Monday after labourers refused to report to work.

The workers were demanding a wage hike of about $50 a month.