Thousands of PT BA workers go on strike

Thousands of state owned coal producer PT Batu Bara Bukit Asam?s (PT BA) workers went on strike on Wednesday after the company?s management rejected their demand to increase welfare allowance, Sumatera Express reported on Thursday.

The protest initially started only by workers of grade 4, 5 and 6, the lowest rank in the workers? status in the company has caused a disruption in the company?s activities after they forced other workers to join the strike. The protest made in the company?s headquarter in Tanjung Enim, South Sumatra was also joined by their colleagues working in the company?s coal receiving terminals in Kertapati in Palembang and in Lampung.

The low-rank workers said that there should be an improvement in their take-home payment because the gap of the salaries received by the management?s staff and low-rank workers had been too wide. The demand was rejected by the management, saying that the company was facing financial difficulties after the state-owned railway company PT KAI raised the tariff of the coal transportation.

But the workers could not accept the demand. The company which transports most of its coal through the state-owned railway system has been also under pressure from the workers and local residents to drop its privatization plan.

The workers and residents fear that the privatization would cause a major layoff and a decline in the company?s commitment to help the local community. (*)