Total?s workers drop strike plan

The workers of French firm Total E&P Indonesia have dropped a strike plan after reaching an agreement with the firm?s management over pay components.

?The agreement was reached at about 10 p.m. on Monday at Total?s office in Balikpapan after a negotiation from afternoon,? Sis Handoko, external division head at oil and gas upstream authority BP Migas , said on Tuesday.

Total E&P Indonesie?s spokesman Ananda Idris confirmed that the firm?s management and labor union had reached an agreement, but did not provide details on the agreement.

?It?s a step to improve the welfare of the workers,? he said.

Total operates huge gas fields in East Kalimantan and is the largest gas supplier to the Bontang LNG plant.

Earlier, thousands of the firm?s employees threatened to go on massive strike on September 12 to push the firm?s management to meet their demand for incentive reinstatement.

The employees through the company?s employee union (SPNTI) demand a 25 percent fixed allowance for working on the field.

The threat was the second after last month thousands of the firm?s employees threaten to hold general strike with same request. (Godang)