Minister rejects dismissal of TCI workers: Rumor

There?s been rumor circulating among the coal-mining workers of PT Thiess Contractor Indonesia (TCI) that Minister of Labor Affairs Yacob Nuwa Wea has annulled the recent decision of the Committee for Labor Dispute Settlement (P4) approving the dismissal of TCI workers.

The Kaltim Post daily said on Monday that the minister has the rights to veto any P4 ruling.

TCI is a sub contractor of coal mining firm PT Kideco Jaya Agung operating in the Pasir Regency, in East Kalimantan province.

TCI late last year dismissed 171 workers who had been on a strike to demand higher pay for extra working hours. The dismissal has created protracted conflict within the company. The P4 late last month approved the TCI decision.

The workers have vowed to stage demonstration to protest the ruling.

Minister Yacob Nuwa Wea could not be reached for confirmation.

Meanwhile, TCI office manager HM Aksa Arsyad could not confirm the rumor, but said that if it was true his company would file a legal suit against the minister at the State Administrative Court.

He added that legal battle would take a very long time, which would be disadvantageous for the workers.

He said that if the workers accept the dismissal ruling, they would receive compensation and could start seeking other job, which is a much better condition than going through a long court process.(*)