By Sultan Al-Maymoun
MADINAH — Saudi Oger Company has started negotiations with the employees it terminated last month to rehire them on new contracts after it was given a five-year extension to operate the King Fahd Complex for Qur’an Printing in Madinah, a company source said.
The company last month terminated the services of more than 1,300 contract workers at the Qur’an printing complex and asked them to contact its Human Resources and Administration Department to complete the end of service procedures.
The new contracts offer significantly reduced salaries and less benefits.
The source also said the employees are upset at the reduced salaries and benefits and find the company’s actions a violation of Saudization laws.
The fired employees claim that they have not been paid for the past three months.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance recently invited bids from qualified firms to operate the Qur’an printing complex.
However, Saudi Oger’s bid was selected from among six other companies.
It will begin operating the King Fahd Complex for Qur’an Printing, the largest Qur’an printing press in the world, within a few weeks after meeting the conditions of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. It must offer bank guarantees and pay off insurance claims, said the source.
The King Fahd Complex for Qur’an Printing in Madinah produces about 10 million copies a year. It has published 55 translations of the Qur’an in 39 languages. Since 1985, the complex printed over 128 million copies of the Qur’an.
