ExxonMobil executives summoned over workers dismissal

The legislative council of North Aceh regency will summon executives of PT ExxonMobil Indonesia over the dismissal of the company?s 226 workers, Serambi daily reported on Saturday.

The deputy chairman of the council H. Armia said on Friday that the executives of the American oil and gas would be asked to explain the dismissal in a consultation meeting to be held at the council?s hall on Monday.

However, he said, the company?s office in Jakarta had requested the council to schedule the meeting to give it ample time to prepare the materials which could be raised by the councilors.

?They are now focusing their activities over the reopening of their gas fields. That?s why they ask to reschedule the consultation meeting,? he said.

He said that ExxonMobil executives were summoned in connection with the company?s former 226 workers? complain that their dismissal in 1996 were not backed by compensation payment.

According to representatives of the dismissed workers, they demanded a compensation payment totaling Rp 26 billion (US$1=Rp 10,000) from ExxonMobil.

The workers said that that they had been fighting for more than five years to get appropriate compensation from ExxonMobil. But the company continued to delay the payment even though a Jakarta court had issued a verdict in favor of the dismissed workers. (*)