 Eventually, the foreign companies realized that they needed the Zabbaleen and thus, subcontracted them.This system failed, however, because the companies underpaid the Zabbaleen.According to Fahmi and Sutton, "while company sources mention salaries ranging between LE 300 to LE 450 per month (US $50–$75), some Zabbaleen claim that the salaries on offer are actually closer to LE 150 per month."