Vico workers go on strike
Friday, August 4 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
About one thousand workers of the contractors of American oil and gas company Vico Indonesia went on strike from Wednesday through Thursday, blocking the access road to the company's compound in Muara Badak, East Kalimantan.
Vico's external relation officer Hasnan Rifai said on Thursday the reason behind the strike remained unclear for Vico. As such, Vico would ask for explanations from the company that employ the protesting workers, Suara Kaltim reported.
According Berita Jaya Pos, the protesting workers were from PT Perdana Karya.
The protesting workers regretted that they remain contract workers despite the fact they had been working for Vico for many years, Berita Jaya Pos said.
The paper said the workers demanded Vico give them the status of permanent workers.
Hasnan was quoted by Kaltim Post as saying that no violence occurred during the strike but activities at some rigs were halted as the protesting workers agitated other workers to join the strike.
Hasnan said the striking workers were grouped in the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) led by Mochtar Pakhpahan. (*)