400 security guards stage protest

BOGOR: About 400 security guards at the Kota Wisata luxury housing estate in Cileungsi, Bogor regency, went on strike on Wednesday in protest at the dismissal of 13 guards who had demanded overtime payments.

M. Syafaat, 29, one of the protesters, said that the 13 had been dismissed arbitrarily last month.

He added that last week, when an air-conditioning compressor unit was stolen, two security guards were ordered to compensate for the loss.

He also complained that security guards did not receive any lunch or transportation allowances.

An officer of the Human Resources Department of Kota Wisata, Sukma, said later in the day that the problem had been settled.

He said that lunch and transportation allowances would be included in their monthly salary, which is above the legal minimum salary, and amounts to Rp 514,000.

He also claimed that the housing estate company would also make a Rp 300,000 fixed overtime payment per month.--JP