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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Young Taek] Employees of Hyundai Engineering & Construction working in Saudi Arabia are voicing growing frustration over safety measures and compensation, as regional tensions escalate following retaliatory strikes involving Iran.
According to media reports on April 14, part of the ceiling at the site office of Hyundai E&C’s Amiral project in Jubail, eastern Saudi Arabia, was damaged in the aftermath of a missile attack on a nearby petrochemical complex on April 7.
A worker stationed in the region said, “We receive air raid alerts almost every dawn, and our families are living in constant anxiety,” describing the heightened sense of danger on the ground.
Employees have also criticized the company’s headquarters for relying too heavily on client decisions regarding on-site operations. “Although an emergency response committee has been formed, we don’t feel any real change at the site,” the worker said. “If the client tells us to report to work, we have no choice but to go, even at personal risk. Employee safety is being pushed aside.”
The biggest source of dissatisfaction centers on what workers describe as inadequate compensation for operating in high-risk areas. Another employee compared Hyundai E&C’s policies with those of competitors, noting that firms such as GS Engineering & Construction are reportedly reviewing or implementing measures such as extended leave, increased hazard pay, and additional cash or in-kind support.
By contrast, Hyundai E&C employees claim that their current overseas risk allowances remain at levels similar to those for relatively low-risk regions such as Southeast Asia. “We are risking our lives working near a conflict zone, but there has been little communication from headquarters regarding compensation,” the employee added.
In response, Hyundai E&C stated that its compensation system is already at an industry-leading level.
Alphabiz 김영택 기자(sitory0103@alphabiz.co.kr)
