Dubai migrant workers hold rare strike to demand bonuses

Several hundred South Asian migrant workers, including from India, held a rare protest on Tuesday in the heart of Dubai's ritzy downtown, temporarily blocking traffic and demanding higher wages.

The workers, dressed in their green construction outfits and matching hard hats, were seen negotiating with police.

They were demanding higher wages for their work on the Fountain Views development, a project by Dubai-based Emaar Properties to build high-end apartments.

The Dubai police said on Twitter that they resolved the issue in less than an hour after talking with the workers.

Riot police were also called in, though no arrests were made, according to the United Arab Emirates based The National.

While such protests are unusual due to the "kafala," or sponsorship, system for workers in the Gulf, which ties their legal status to a sponsoring employer, Tuesday's stand by the labourers was even more remarkable for its location on Financial Centre Road.

The construction site of Emaar's Fountain Views development is nestled there, between the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, and The Dubai Mall, one of the world's largest malls, both developed by Emaar. The downtown area is a major tourist destination and one of the most upscale, pristine neighbourhoods in Dubai.

Tuesday's protest highlighted the stark wealth gap between the area's visitors and residents and the poor workers building it all, who hail mostly from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and India.

Millions of South Asian workers provide the manpower to build high-rises, shopping malls, highways and other mega-construction projects throughout the region. Most come to the Gulf in search of more money to send back to relatives.

Human Rights Watch estimates there are more than 5 million low-paid migrant workers in the Emirates alone.

Emaar says its contractor for the project was given "clear guidelines" to ensure industry's best practices.

"Emaar is taking this matter seriously and have highlighted the incident to the senior management of the contractors to ensure that matters are resolved" as early as possible, the company said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press.