A delegation from Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd will soon meet with the 36 ex-workers of two estates in Sungai Siput who are seeking compensation and land as part of the retrenchment package.

Zakaria Ramli, who will lead the group of Guthrie officials, said he wanted to explain the company's stand on some of the demands made by the ex-workers since the lay-offs in late 1999.

"We are planning to go to Ladang Kamiri in Sungai Siput, Perak, on Oct 29 and explain to the ex-workers why we cannot consider some of their demands, specifically their demand for land," he said when contacted yesterday.

"We hope to reach some sort of compromise over this matter which has already been dragging on for far too long ," he added.

The ex-workers of both the former rubber estates, now re-planted with oil palm, have been asking for higher compensation and alternative housing plus a plot of land for a Tamil school, church and temple.

About six months ago, Guthrie set up a task force to specifically handle outstanding issues pertaining to a number of cases, some which are pending in court, involving ex-workers' retrenchment benefits.

Mounting pressure

Guthrie is facing mounting pressure from ex-workers and grassroots activists who lobby for better retrenchment benefits soon after it began converting many of its plantations nationwide from rubber to oil palm or for development.

Zakaria said the group also plans to meet the ex-workers of Ladang Kampung Bedong the next day, Oct 30, "on similar matters."

"Might as well kill two birds with one stone," he said, referring to the two consecutive meetings.

In this case, 49 ex-workers have refused to vacate the factory quarters despite notices to vacate after the company ceased operations last month.

Kampung Bedong is being converted from a rubber plantation to an oil palm estate.

According to Guthrie, the ex-workers have asked to continue staying there until they can secure new jobs and be given an option to buy the quarters they are currently occupying.

Alternatively, they have asked for a retirement gratuity of RM500 per year of service or discounted low-cost housing or housing lots/land.

"These are among the issues we are trying to discuss and hope to reach a compromise on before resorting to other means of resolution," said Zakaria.

Positive development

Social activist Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj said the meeting is a positive development after what seemed to be "a very long silence" since early last year.

"It appears that the company has taken a new approach now, with the new task force specifically handling such issues. At least, they have moved from a deadlock to possible talk now. That's a good step forward.

"Hopefully, most if not all of the ex-workers' demands will be met by Guthrie through some sort of a compromise," he added.

Jeyakumar said the ex-workers were seeking higher compensation or some kind of benefit in the form of land from Guthrie by virtue of having toiled for the company for over three generations.

Guthrie also has several cases pending in court over similar issues that remain unresolved.