KPC annuls decision to fire protesting employees
Wednesday, July 12 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
The East Kalimantan coal giant PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) agreed on Tuesday to annul its earlier decision to fire 66 employees who had been allegedly active making provocation in the recent employee strike, the local Suara Kaltim daily reported.
The paper also said that the protesting employees agreed to maintain order and security in the KPC mining site.
The agreement was reached during a meeting at the local Kutai House of Representatives which was led by East Kutai Regent Awang Faroek.
Awang expected that the agreement would create a greater certainty for KPC to continue its production.
Awang said that another meeting would be held today (Wednesday) to further discuss the remaining demands of the protesting employees.
Hundreds of KPC employees held a demonstration since June 14, and had also controlled certain key production facilities forcing the company to stop its production process.
KPC was able to resume production on Sunday after the company agreed on Saturday to maintain its education and welfare facility to the family of the protesting employees.
The employees also agreed to pull out from controlling the company's key facilities.
The employees had demanded better welfare condition including a 15 percent increase in salary.
The Suara Kaltim daily said that out of the 16 demands, the employees have reduced them to four including the rise in salary. (*)