US contractors in Kuwait decry meager bunkers and pay cuts amid Iran war: ‘We’re treated as expendable’ | US-Israel war on Iran

Employees of major defense contractor V2X Inc at US military bases in Kuwait say they do not have adequate shelter facilities and have had their wages reduced because of missile attacks in Iran’s Persian Gulf region, while they also receive limited communication from their employers about security and evacuation procedures.

The Guardian interviewed three V2X workers at US bases Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring in Kuwait following Saturday’s Iranian missile attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan.

The attacks follow US and Israeli strikes against Iran earlier on Saturday. Iran has since launched a series of retaliatory attacks targeting US military bases and, according to regional authorities, some civilian infrastructure in the Persian Gulf.

“The worst part is the company hasn’t released anything yet, so we don’t know what happened or what will happen to us if our base gets hit. We’ve had zero instructions,” said one American worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. “We have no one and no instructions. We don’t know what’s going to happen or even how to get out of here.”

The Guardian requested comment from V2X Inc. and did not receive a response by press time.

V2X employees in Kuwait and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, received a warning email from the company at 11:58 a.m. local time on the day of the attacks. The message, reviewed by the Guardian, included the following statements: “GIANT SOUND AHEAD! IT’S COMING, IT’S COMING, TAKE SHELTER, TAKE COVER. MOVE TO THE NEAREST SHELTER OR HARDENED BUILDING AT CAMP BUEHRING. KEEP YOUR IBA AND HELMET SAFE!!! THIS IS NOT A TEST!!!”

Workers interviewed said that contract workers on bases are allocated different shelter facilities than military personnel. It was stated that some shelters resemble above-ground concrete tunnels with open ends, while others are closed structures with metal doors but “without light, barely enough air, and pitch darkness.”

“We’re all crammed into the shelters closest to where you work,” a second American worker said.

Two American contract workers the Guardian spoke to claimed that US military personnel serving in Kuwait had been evacuated in the last few weeks, the bases remained relatively empty, and contractors remained in the country.

“It almost looked like [the Pentagon] We evacuated the troops so that if anything happens safely, like if the base gets hit, there will be less military casualties,” said the second American worker. “What about us? Are we just victims of war? How did they go before us?”

The civilian contractor workforce at U.S. bases in Kuwait was reduced last week in anticipation of a possible conflict with Iran, according to workers. Earlier in the week, “non-essential” workers were told to stay in their shelters and were not given the option to evacuate, according to two American workers. To leave Kuwait need One worker said he had an exit permit signed by their employer. Under the region’s strict labor regulations, especially those linked to the kafala sponsorship system, workers who leave their jobs without their employers’ permission face arrest and imprisonment in many cases on “evasion” charges.

“Everybody’s talking about the military, but nobody’s talking about us,” said the first American worker. “We’re stuck here and treated like we’re expendable.”

Both American workers stated that the situation was extremely traumatic for the workers and their families.

The second American worker said, “The overall lack of planning and communication created emotional tension for me. Every noise makes us nervous.” “This triggered anxiety and memories of my previous tours of duty in Iraq resurfaced. It became difficult to sleep.”

V2X Inc. in July 2022 $2.1 billion merger Between Vectrus and Vertex Corporation. The company has a LOGCAP V contract supporting U.S. military operations in Kuwait and providing logistics and base operations services, including roles such as mechanics, warehouse personnel, catering facility workers and IT personnel.

Workers said the company reduced paid working hours after bases were closed during the attacks. All three employees interviewed by the Guardian said they had been informed that their working hours would be reduced to eight a day, with many of them typically working 12 hours a day and receiving overtime pay.

“Our wages are low here. And now I am paid less because I sit in a room,” said an Indian worker employed by V2X through a subcontractor. The worker said his base salary is $493 a month, while total pay typically reaches about $819 when a 72-hour work week is taken into account.

Two American workers said the only communication they received from a supervisor during the attacks was about a new payroll code that would reduce their wages. The Guardian reviewed the message.

“That’s the only or main thing the company is worried about,” said the first American worker, who earns about $20 an hour.

Additionally, Kuwait’s tap water is considered unfit for drinking. Workers said they have enough bottled water to last the next two to three days but are unsure how to obtain additional supplies after that.

Missiles hit many places in the region on Saturday. Officials in the United Arab Emirates said one person was killed in a ballistic missile attack in Abu Dhabi and air defense systems intercepted other bullets. Both international airports in the UAE Dubai And Abu Dhabi The luxury residential and tourist hub of Dubai, such as Palm Jumeirah, was hit by missiles, and explosions occurred in the skies above residential areas such as Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) and Discovery Gardens. A residential area in Doha, Qatar was also hit. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping route through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.

Kuwait General Authority of Civil Aviation said that an Iranian drone crashed into Terminal 1 of Kuwait international airport, resulting in minor injuries to several workers.

“We’re absolutely stuck,” the first American worker said. “They should have gotten us out of here a week ago.”