Update: Former workers demonstrate against ConocoPhillips in Jakarta

A senior executive of oil and gas producer ConocoPhillips of Indonesia said Thursday that former workers of Gulf Resources Indonesia had been offered separation pay higher than the amount stipulated by government regulations.

?In addition, we had also offered to insure them for one year after their discharge,? said A.R. Dudung Natanegara, vice president of ConocoPhillips of Indonesia.

Dudung was commenting on Thursday?s demonstration by around 150 formers workers of Gulf Resources Indonesia who accused the ConocoPhillips management of arbitrarily deciding the amounts of their severance pay.

He said that 49 former workers of Gulf Resources Indonesia had signed the so-called Mutually Agreed Termination (MAT) document that mentioned the compensation package for them. Meanwhile, Dudung on Thursday advised the 150 people to the sign the document on Friday.

The 150 people, holding a protest rally near ConocoPhillips office in Jakarta, complained the company management had not involved them in outlining the MAT document.

Gulf Resources Indonesia was acquired in 2002 by Conoco Canada Resouces Limited, which is a unit of U.S. integrated energy company ConocoPhillips. (godang)