Bahrain

The workers earn around BD200 per month, and were striking for a minimum 40% increase. Workers had originally demanded a rate of BD380, but during long negotiations be their union and employer, the demand has been reduced several times.

The first strike was by workers at the Almoayyed Contracting Group, workers were protesting at salaries ranging from 60 to 85 Bahrain dinars (£82-116) They initially demanded a rise to between BHD 100 and BHD 120. The head of the group countered that workers were in fact being paid 75 to 150 dinars a month, he also claimed that only 300 workers joined the strike.

Gulf News reported that the Labour Ministry had to intervene after the firm's sales and marketing department refused to work.

It meant no chickens were delivered by the company yesterday since the department covers distribution, Delmon Poultry Company Employees Union chairman Sayed Salman Jaffar Al Mahfood told the GDN.

The workers at Bapco oil refinery in Bahrain have threatened a 45 minute sit-in protest today if their demands for higher pay are not met.