KUWAIT: Cleaners gather during a strike in protest over unpaid salaries at the airport yesterday.

KUWAIT: Cleaners at Kuwait International Airport went on strike yesterday in protest against not being paid their salaries since May.

The cleaners also demanded to receive a minimum salary of KD 60 as stipulated in their contracts, as they do not have any other source of income.

The workers' cleaning company declined to issue a statement to Kuwait Times, but confirmed that it will pay the workers two months' salary within days, after it is approved by the management.

Acting Director of MPA Ahmad Al-Moussa said the Manpower Public Authority summoned the owner of the cleaning company, and will take legal action against the company if it does not meet its commitments towards the workers, especially with regards to monthly salaries.

He said all labor strikes that took place lately are due to nonpayment of monthly salaries. He said MPA punished violating companies by suspending their files, and will not be lax in taking necessary legal action against any violating company.

An airport source said that the delay in payment of salaries is not the first, as it has happened before with security workers. The source added that the cleaners also went on strike last month due to the same reason, and this is because of the inability of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor to adopt an effective law to ensure that companies pay the salaries of their workers on time.

By Faten Omar and A Saleh