Thiess employees end strike, return to work

Following a series of negotiations, the employees of PT Thiess Contractors Indonesia in Sangatta, East Kalimantan ended their more than two weeks-long strike Wednesday and returned to work, a company press release said.

Thiess is one of the contractors of East Kalimantan coal mining giant PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC).

Around 200 employees of Thiess had staged a strike since late last month demanding higher compensation for overtime work. A KPC spokesman earlier said that the strike had affect company coal production.

Thiess director Sam Rumende said: ?I am delighted that our striking employees have returned to work today. It is regrettable that they chose to engage in illegal industrial action and not follow the due legal process. However, they have all expressed their commitment to Thiess and are eager to work with us to increase production levels.?

?I am pleased that the decision relating to overtime, and the exclusion of allowances from overtime calculations, has been found in our favor,? he added.(Amoros)