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

Employees of major defense contractor V2X Inc on US military bases in Kuwait say they lack adequate bunker facilities and have had their pay reduced amid Iranian missile attacks across the Persian Gulf region, while receiving limited communication from their employer about safety and evacuation procedures.The Guardian interviewed three V2X employees on the US bases Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring in Kuwait, following Iranian missile strikes on Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan on Saturday.The attacks follow United States and Israeli strikes on 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 has yet to put out anything so we don’t know what’s happening or what would happen to us if our base gets hit or anything. We got zero instructions,” said one American worker, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. “We have nobody and no instructions. We don’t know what will happen or how we would even get out of here.”The Guardian has requested comment from V2X Inc and did not hear back by press time.V2X workers in Kuwait and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, received an alert email from the company at 11.58am local time on the day of the attacks. The message, reviewed by the Guardian, read: “PER GIANT VOICE! INCOMING, INCOMING, TAKE COVER, TAKE COVER. MOVE TO THE NEAREST BUNKER OR HARDENED BUILDING AT Camp Buehring. SECURE IBA AND HELMET!!! THIS IS NOT A TEST !!!”Workers interviewed said contract employees are assigned different bunker facilities from military personnel on the bases. Some of the shelters resemble above-ground concrete tunnels with open ends, while others are enclosed structures with metal doors but “no light, barely enough air and total darkness”, they said.“We are all packed into the bunkers that are closest to wherever you work,” a second American worker said.The two American contract workers the Guardian spoke to alleged that US military personnel stationed in Kuwait were evacuated in the past few weeks, leaving the bases relatively empty, while contractors remained in the country.“It almost seemed like [the Pentagon] evacuated the soldiers so if anything would happen safely, for instance, that base was hit it would be less casualties on the military standpoint,” said the second American worker. “What about us? Are we just considered casualties of war? How did they leave before us?”The civilian contractor workforce at US bases in Kuwait had been scaled back in the past week in anticipation of potential conflict with Iran, according to the workers. Earlier in the week, workers deemed “non-essential” were told to remain in their accommodation, and not given the option to evacuate, according to the two American workers. To leave Kuwait, they require an exit permit signed by their employer, one worker said. Under the region’s strict labor regulations, particularly those linked to the kafala sponsorship system, workers who leave their jobs without their employer’s permission have in many cases faced arrest and imprisonment on charges of “absconding”.“Everybody talks about the military but nobody talks about us,” said the first American worker. “We are stuck here and treated like we are expendable.”The situation is hugely traumatic for workers and their families, both American workers noted.“The overall lack of planning and communication has created an emotional strain for me. Every noise has us on edge,” said the second American worker. “This situation has triggered anxiety, as it has resurfaced memories of my previous deployments to Iraq. It has been difficult to sleep.”V2X Inc was formed in July 2022 following a $2.1bn merger between Vectrus and the Vertex Company. The company holds a LOGCAP V contract supporting US military operations in Kuwait, providing logistics and base operations services, including roles such as mechanics, warehouse staff, dining facility workers and IT personnel.Workers said that following base closures during the attacks, the company reduced their paid hours. Many typically work 12-hour days and receive overtime pay, all three employees the Guardian spoke to said, adding that they were informed their hours would be reduced to eight per day.“We have a low salary here. And now I’m being paid less because I’m sitting in a room,” said a worker from India, employed by V2X via a subcontractor. The worker said their base salary is $493 per month, with total pay typically reaching about $819 based on 72 hours of work per week.The two American workers said the only communication they received from a supervisor during the attacks concerned a new payroll code to enter into their timesheets, which would reduce their pay. The Guardian has reviewed the message.“That’s the only or the main thing that the company is worried about,” said the first American worker, who earns about $20 per hour.Furthermore, Kuwait’s tap water is not considered suitable for drinking. Workers said they have enough bottled water to last for the next two to three days, but were uncertain how additional supplies would be obtained after that.Missiles struck several locations across the region on Saturday. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates said one person was killed in a ballistic missile strike in Abu Dhabi, and that air defense systems intercepted other projectiles. In the UAE, both the international airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi were struck with missiles, as were the luxury residential and tourist destination Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, and explosions occurred in the skies above residential areas including 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 about 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.Kuwait’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said an Iranian drone struck terminal 1 of Kuwait international airport, resulting in minor injuries to several workers.“We’re definitely stuck,” said the first American worker. “They should’ve got us out of here a week ago.”