Police fears KPC labor protest causes physical conflict
Friday, July 7 2000 - 03:30 AM WIB
The labor strike at East Kalimantan coal giant PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) may turn into a physical conflict between the employees and the local villagers, according to the provincial police spokesman Superintendent Saah Sumarno.
"I am afraid there could be a physical conflict between the employees and the villagers," Saah was quoted as saying by the Detik.com on line new service.
Saah explained that the people of the Sangatta area could not understand why the employees had to demand for higher salaries while their salaries were already among the highest in the province.
"The informal leader there (in Sangatta) has agreed that if the strike continues, the KPC management should immediately dismiss (the protesting employees. They said that they're around 70,000 unemployed men ready to replaced them," he said.
Some 150 KPC employees has held a protest since June 14 and controlled certain vital facilities causing the company to be unable to make production. (*)