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Meeting minutes and Report

Date & Time: 31.05.2014 around 07.45pm
Location: Mess Hall, Employees Accommodation of Taif Airbase, Taif, KSA
Meeting Called By: Camp Supervisor
Purpose: To discuss about the issues Sri Lanka employees in Taif are currently facing
Attendees: Most of the SL Employees except few with Safety Engineer Mr.Rooman and Camp
Supervisor

Background/Summary
After the short Address by the camp supervisor(Hereinafter referred as CS) attendees were
requested to discuss the issues they are facing one by one

Many complained that there is a serious water leak in most of the cabins and if someone
uses the bathroom water goes to their rooms.

Few are of the view that neither CS nor Rooman attending their issues.

Rooman argues that these issues are not attended because no maintenance group was given
by the management even requested many times.

One employee named Lakshman said that one of his colleagues clothes which were put in
the washing machines disappeared. He requested the CS to find his cloths. While Lakshman
was talking another employee called wasantha rose and said that keeping an eye on the
clothes of the employees when they are in the washing machine is not the responsibility of
the CS. a serious argument broke out and both of them were exchanging very harsh words
and about to fight. Rooman stopped them. Suddenly one employee (dont k now his name)
rose and said if wasantha is not sent out the meeting hall they would boycott the meeting
and leave. After some harsh exchange of words wasantha left the meeting on his own even
though he was not requested to do so by the CS.

Another employee named Abay was raising his voice against Rooman and Cs for no any
reason. A serious argument broke out between him and Rooman.

Employees were dissatisfied with the way the invitation for the meeting was issued because
it demanded a medical certificate from the nurse in failure of attendance of an employee to
the meeting and the notice was only written in Sinhala while many employees are unable to
read Sinhala.
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One employee raised an issue that they dont have a ground to play even though
management promised to give them one.

One employee said water bottles were requested for the cabins long ago but they were not
given.

Almost every one complained about the unavailability of proper internet facility and their
inability to talk to their family which caused them money, energy and difficulty.

Every one complained about the quality of the food served in the mess. Most of them were
unsatisfied with the repetition of Dhal curry every day and the way food is cooked. They
expect the same food with small changes but with good taste.

Following concerns were raised during the meeting

o No tables are given to the employees.
o The overall quality of the Taif site is not up to the standard of Khobar.
o Tea bags and sugar given in the airfield are not enough

Meeting ended around 9.15pm


Outcome of the meeting
It was agreed that a complain log book would be maintained in CS office. Anyone with
complaints should record their respective complaints in the book and they will be attended.
Rooman agreed to ratify the issues in the cabins on coming Friday.
Rooman asked the CS to talk to the management and install one more Router.
CS agreed to change the food Manu and make sure the foods are tasty.
CS agreed to give water bottles to the cabins.

Observations:
Most of the issues raised by the employees during the meeting could be narrowed down
in three folds.
1. Issues related to cabins
2. Issues related to food
3. Issues related to internet facilities

Employees are exaggerating the issues too much and making it so big
Employees are trying to create a fight with the CS all the time without any reasons
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Employees have lost the respect to the staff above them specially CS
There is no communication between the employees and the Office in Taif and HOKSA
Discipline of the employees are in serious question
Some issues employees raising are pointless
CSs soft-core dealing with the employees is leaving room to them to raise against him
Employees are trying to work as a Union.

RECOMMENDATIONS
As agreed, a log book must be maintained to address the complaints of the employees. If it
is not attended within a particular time frame it should be brought to higher level
Management.

A Maintenance group should be on call to address the maintenance issues in the cabins.

Immediately internet issues should be addressed otherwise employees would be seriously
disappointed.

Since unwanted issues are raised during the meeting which leads to waste of time, group
meeting should be avoided in future. This could be substituted by CS meeting the employees
personally rather than arranging meetings.

CS should deal with the employees in a little strict manner and should not let the employees
to take advantage over him.

Someone must be appointed to coordinate with the CS and the management. CS should
discuss with him before taking crucial decisions since employees are bit unsatisfied with the
CS at the moment.

Employees in Taif are trying to work as a Union which in future would pose a serious threat.
Since there is no one to control them an immediate mechanism to deal with the
misbehaviors of the employees is a must. The mechanisms should include ways to inquire
the employees and issue memos which would go to their personal files.

Two cooks must me transferred and fresh cooks must be brought in since the employees are
already dissatisfied with the cooks.


Strategies
The way employees behave in the Taif camp has already created a negative opinion about
Sri Lankan Employees. Their further escalation of small issues would in future likely stop
hiring Sri Lankan employees. This would question the selection mode of these employees
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and will affect other SL employees in other camps as well. This situation could be
manipulated by Philipinos who already waiting at the edge to grab the opportunity. Since
the HR officer in Taif is Philipino these issues could be misinterpreted and exaggerated and
brought to the top management in a different but danger way that would affect every Sri
Lankan employee here.

Here are some strategy recommendations

01. Two or three people are spoiling the ground here. Slowing they should be identified and
transferred to different places.

02. One serious action must be taken against one employee that will make others fear.

03. A separate SL HR officer must be appointed so the issue would not escalate to Pilipinos
and will stick to Sri Lankans.


Prepared by:
J.R.Muhammadh
Administrative Assistant
Air Base
Taif