Safari Dharma's crew stage protest

JAKARTA: Dozens of Safari Dharma's crew members blockaded the company's buses on its gate Monday morning in their demonstration asking for a pay rise and better management.

The demonstration, which lasted until 2:00 p.m, caused the company to postpone four bus departures, leaving about 120 passengers stranded.

Holding up their posters in front of the bus company's headquarters, they presented 12 demands, including demand for Idul Fitri and Christmas allowances, reemployment of dismissed employees, and weekly holidays.

However, some of their colleagues refused to join the protest, saying that the company has given them enough wage which, they said, was higher than other bus companies.

At least one company of the police's elite mobile brigade, headed by the Subdistrict Police Chief Herri Wibowo, was deployed to disperse the protesters, and in anticipation of an escalation of the protest.

Two employees and two activists from the SBSI (the Indonesian Workers' Union) were detained and were accused of provoking the workers to demonstrate.

Should the blockade continue until nightfall, then 700 would- be passengers would be stranded.

The protesters said that they would continue their demonstrations on Thursday if the company's management did not listen to their demands. ---JP