MLSD instructs SCS to lay out action plan for employing Saudis

Spokesman of the Ministry of Labor and Social Development Khaled Abalkhail said the ministry detected violations where expatriates were working at the Saudi Ground Services Company (SCS), which provides handling services at all commercial airports in the Kingdom. The ministry penalized the company with monetary fines and urged it to lay out a serious plan to terminate the contracts of these workers and employ Saudi nationals instead, added Abalkhail. The spokesman pointed out that the minister of labor and social development met a few days ago with the chairman of the Board of Directors of Saudi Arabia Airlines (Saudia) to correct the status of the company in presence of the chairman of the SCS Board of Directors as well. They emphasized the implementation of emergency action plan aiming to employ, empower and train Saudi nationals in the field as the ministry is responsible to make sure the plan is executed at the international and regional airports, added Abalkhail. During a previous meeting that took place at the ministry’s headquarters, a number of MLSD senior officials met with CEO of the company and other representatives and informed them of violations found at some commercial airports, which led to penalizing the SCS. Additionally, they warned of increasing the punishments if the company continues to ignore the labor regulations.