Thousands of workers at Caltex operation units on strike
Wednesday, March 8 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
Thousands of workers at two of of PT Caltec Pasific Indonesia 's major exploration and production units in Minas and Duri, Riau went on strike on Tuesday to demand for a wage increase and a fair allowance payment.
The demonstration held by the workers mostly employed by PT Tripatra, which handles most of Caltex's production and exploration works in the two oil exploration and production units, was the largest so far.
Security men, who previously opposed the strike, also joined the strike, which has also spread to other operation units of the oil giant in the province.
The workers demanded Tripatra and Caltex to raise their wage and provide health and housing allowances. They claimed that the payments they received were no longer enough to support their lives.
The workers expected the local legislators to help them to negotiate their demand with the companies' management but they failed to show up. The workers said that they would continue the protest until the companies fulfilled their demand.
The demonstration also received a support from workers from other oil production and exploration units in other areas.
Other thousands of workers of Tripatra also staged a similar demonstration at the Duri production and exploration unit also demanding for a hike in wages and better working condition.
The workers said that they were forced to stage a massive protest as their demand through more respectable ways such as through negotiations were left unheeded. (*)