Eleven British American Tobacco Bhd (BAT) staff were charged at the Petaling Jaya Magistrate's Court today, following their picket over the company's voluntary separation scheme offer.

They were charged under Section (13) of the Minor Offences Act 1955 for making excessive noise, which carries a maximum RM100 fine.

All eleven claimed trial and bail was set at RM700. Lawyers for the accused said it was "unusual" for bail amount to exceed the maximum fine.

The accused were among BAT staff who were picketing against the VSS offer since Monday.

Some protesters claim that local staff were being offered VSS to make way for cheaper foreign staff. BAT was asked to respond to this allegation, but did not do so in their reply.

Not residential area

They were arrested by the police yesterday and held overnight before they were charged this morning.

Lawyer Latheefa Koya revealed that the police took action on the group following a report lodged by the police themselves.

He said the attempt to charge the 11 was a breach of their right to picket under Section 40 of the Industrial Relations Act 1967.

"These people were just picketing outside their employer's office. There are no houses there. It is not a residential area.

"I don't know how there can be a complaint (for making excessive noise)," she said.

Latheefa added that the police should be condemned for violating the workers' rights.