Thiess fires 600 workers in S. Kalimantan

Some 600 workers of PT Thiess Contractor Indonesia, a contractor of South Kalimantan-based coal miner PT Arutmin Indonesia, have been fired because they refused to return to work after being on strike for about ten days, local daily Banjarmasin Post reported on Monday.

They were dismissed after refusing to get back to work at 2 PM on Saturday, the deadline set by the Thiess management.

The workers had earlier insisted that they would continue working at Arutmin?s coal mining site in Kelumpang in Kotabaru Regency, South Kalimantan, only if the Thiess management had negotiated with them. Company leaders turned down their demand.

Last week, they staged a rally at the Kotabaru regency legislative council urging council members to press the Thiess management to negotiate with them. They were worried of being fired.

Thiess director Sam Rumende said the labor strike occurred after two workers received mild disciplinary action for sleeping on duty, which was a violation of the company regulations.

Meanwhile, the workers said their strike actually aimed to press Thiess management to remove their supervisor, Effendi, from Kelumpang because he was too arrogant. (*)