Hundreds of protesters occupy Caltex?s main office in Riau

Hundreds of workers occupied the main office of the country?s major oil company PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia (CPI) in Duri, Riau on Thursday to protest the oil giant?s decision to cut its contracts with PT Supraco and PT Gunawan Sarana Agung (GSA), Suara Karya reported on Friday.

The protesters mostly the workers of PT Supraco and PT GSA questioned the decision of the Caltex management which had caused them jobless. The workers who began their peaceful protest on Wednesday continued to occupy Caltex?s main office until Thursday.

"Although the protesters occupy the main office, they carry out their protests peacefully. Their protests did not affect routine activities," CPI?s coordinator for media relations, Tiva Permata, said. "The labor problem related to the suspension of the contracts is being processed by the manpower office," she added.

The contracts of PT Supraco and PT GSA which employed about 2,000 workers expired on December 14. With the end of the contracts the two companies which provided maintenance services for Caltex?s oil exploration and production facilities had no choice but to dismiss their workers.

According to Tiva, although the contracts of the two companies had expired they still had the chance to continue their services by rejoining the tender to carry out the works. She said that the maintenance workers will be re-tendered and the two companies would be allowed to participate in the tender that would be also joined by several other contractors. (*)