About 40 Chinese construction workers yesterday protested at a Boeung Kak lake development, claiming their Beijing-based employer has not paid their salaries in months.

The workers are building a project for Graticity Real Estate Development Co (GRED), which is constructing a commercial and residential project in partnership with Boeung Kak developer Shukaku Inc.

Chen Guo Weng, a protesting worker, said he had personally not been paid in nearly six months, and that salaries had been lower than promised.

“They promised us 9,000 yuan [$1,300] but they are only paying us 7,000 yuan [$1,000],” he said.

A security guard at the site, who asked to remain anonymous, said workers had been protesting for the past three days and that a worker representative had met with management yesterday.

Reached by phone, a staffer at GRED said they were unaware of the protest, adding that the firm had contracted the project’s construction to China State Construction Engineering Corp.

At the construction site, a man who identified himself only as Wang and claimed to be a supervisor, denied there had been any protests, adding that the company would pay the workers soon after finalising their financial accounts.

“We will be able to give them money in three days. The workers are asking for money because of the Spring Festival,” he said, referring to the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations later this month.

Anna Koo

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MECH DARA