KPC's coal output increases after some striking workers return equipments

Coal mining company PT Kaltim Prima Coal in East Kalimantan said Wednesday it was now operating at 70 percent of its normal capacity after it managed to retrieve some shovels seized by striking workers.

?We are now running at 70 percent of normal capacity after some of the striking workers who wanted to resume works returned the shovels they seized for weeks,? said Bambang Susanto, the company?s external relations manager.

KPC was earlier forced to cut its output by 50 percent due to labour strike.

Normally, KPC produces 50,000 tons of coal per day.

Tens of workers of its subcontractor PT Liebherr had been holding strike since mid February, demanding higher pay. On March 23 they seized company?s shovels causing it unable to operate at full capacity.

Acording to Bambang, some of the workers are still continuing their strike.

KPC is Indonesia?s second largest coal producer, equally owned by Anglo Australian miner Rio Tinto and Anglo American energy giant Beyond Petroleum (BP). (godang)