JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Around 253 former staffs of PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia brought their former employer to the court for tort allegation.

The former employers accused Chevron of committing act against the law for forcing them to take an early retirement within May 17, 2010 to March 1, 2013. The plaintiffs argued that they had not yet reached the age of retirement.

Based on the Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Business (SKK Migas) decree on May 17, 2010, the new retirement age is 58 -60 years.

Meanwhile, Chevron is still using the old decree that regulated 56 years as retirement age. The plaintiffs also believed that Chevron is trying to delay the implementation of the decree that has been effective since 2010.

Arfa Gunawan, legal representative of the plaintiffs, revealed that the disputing parties had tried to reach off the court settlement, however there were no agreement could be reached. Arfa claimed that Chevron insisted that the dispute should be settled through Industrial Relation Court.

Dony Indrawan, Chevron’s Corporate Communication Manager, claimed that both parties have already agreed the retirement age in the Collective Labour Agreement (PKB). Chevron will read its defense statement on Oct. 10, 2013. (indrab@yosefardi.biz)