Hotel workers stage protest in Bali

Hotel workers stage protest in Bali

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Thousands of workers from some 40 Bali
hotels staged a peaceful protest here on Wednesday in support of
employees of Kartika Plaza Beach Hotel currently striking for
more money and better conditions.

The protest started about 9 a.m. at Puputan Margarana Square
in central Renon area, only meters away from the gubernatorial
offices.

"Stop defending big corporate interests! Start paying
attention to our needs!" the protesters shouted.

Police blocked access to two entrances to the gubernatorial
office during the protest, which ended peacefully at noon.

The workers, led by Bali Tourism Workers Union chief Nyoman
Nadayana, voiced their concern over the Bali provincial
administration's inability to find a win-win solution for the
Kartika Plaza standoff.

"We give one week to settle the matter. If the hotel owners
refuse to settle the matter, we will return with larger crowds,"
Nyoman said.

Bali deputy governor IGB Alit Putra told the crowd that the
government would do its best to help solve the dispute and the
administration agreed to mediate a meeting on Feb. 5 between
employees of Kartika Plaza Hotel and the owners at the
gubernatorial office.

The five star Kartika Plaza Beach Hotel on Jl. Kartika Plaza
near the popular Kuta Beach has been closed since the workers
staged a mass strike on Dec. 18 last year.

Some 600 Kartika Plaza Beach hotel workers have demanded
higher transportation allowances and better working conditions.

Owners and management have refused to meet their demands
because the "hotel has suffered financial losses due to the
economic crisis for quite some time".

Reportedly the management plans to fire several workers for
initiating the strike.

One of the hotel owners, Tommy Winata, said that he regretted
"the way the workers intimidated people first and asked for
negotiations later."

Security was tight during the protests, with more than 1,000
police deployed to secure Renon area, the center of government in
Bali.

"We did not want to take any risks with this large crowd so we
were ready," Denpasar Police chief Sr. Comr. DBM Suharya said.
(zen/edt)