KPC workers back on strike

JAKARTA (JP): Coal mining company PT Kaltim Prima Coal halted its operations once more on Wednesday as workers backed away from negotiations and blockaded the company's mine in Sanggata regency, East Kalimantan, an executive at the company said on Wednesday.

This was the third time within the past two months that KPC was forced to stop its operations, damaging the company's ability to serve its customers.

KPC general manager Thierry Brunner said the workers unexpectedly rejected KPC's final offer, despite earlier signs they would give their approval.

He said KPC had agreed to give the workers a raise but in return demanded the workers give assurances they would no longer blockade the mine and would comply with all existing work regulations.

"We can't properly run our business if work regulations are not respected," he told The Jakarta Post.

KPC earlier expressed fear it would lose customers if it did not receive a guarantee from workers they would not disturb the company's operations in the future.(bkm)