Workers take over Tripatra's main office

Tripatra workers continued their protests against the company on Saturday as the company's management still refused to meet their demand, witnesses said.

The number of the protesters had declined during the demonstration, which had entered its fifth day on Saturday but they managed to take over the main office of the company, which handles most of Caltex Pasific Indonesia's production and exploration jobs in Riau province.

The workers said that they would not end their protests until the company met their demand in full, reemploying Kosasih and his friends and paying their delayed salaries for December. Kosasih and his friends had been charged with stealing the company' equipment but the police could find the proof and freed the men.

The men then asked the company to rehabiliate their names. Their proposal received a wide support from local legislators but the company refused to meet the appeal. This later drew wide criticism from othe workers, who then staged protested in suppoprt to Kosasih and his friends.

The management said recently it had agreed to reemploy the sacked workers but it was remain uncertain about the demand to pay the delayed salaries. (*)