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)