Contractors in Kuwait Demand Safer Bunkers, Protest Pay Cuts Amid Iran Tensions

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.

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The contractors expressed concerns about the lack of adequate shelters on the bases, with one employee stating, "The bunkers we have are barely big enough to fit a few people. We're treated as expendable." Another noted that the pay reductions have added to the stress, saying, "We're already underpaid for the risks we take, and now they're cutting our wages too."

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Despite the escalating tensions in the region, the employees said they have received little information from V2X about emergency protocols or evacuation plans. "We're left in the dark about what to do if there's an attack," one worker lamented. "It's incredibly stressful not knowing if we'll be safe."

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The Pentagon and V2X did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, the contractors expressed a deep sense of frustration and abandonment, feeling that their safety and well-being are not being adequately prioritized by the company and the US government.