80 disabled workers sue arbitration board<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): At least 80 disabled workers are suing the Labor
\nDispute Arbitration Board at the Ministry of Manpower for
\napproving their dismissal from a workshop for the handicapped, a
\nlawyer said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Representing the workers, Lawyer Erna Ratnaningsih from the
\nJakarta Legal Aid Institute said a lawsuit was filed against the
\nboard at the Jakarta Administrative High Court on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"We urge the court to cancel the board's approval for the
\ndismissal. The lawsuit will be heard soon,\" Erna said.<\/p>\n
The dispute between the disabled people from the Swa Prasidya
\nPurna industrial workshop on Jl. Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta,
\nand its operator should be handled by a public court, instead of
\nthe board, Erna said.<\/p>\n
She said the board had no authority to settle the dispute
\nsince the workshop is managed by the social foundation Harapan
\nKita.<\/p>\n
The foundation was founded by former president Soeharto's late
\nwife Ibu Tien.<\/p>\n
\"It's not a firm, so the board could not settle the dispute,\"
\nErna said.<\/p>\n
The dispute occurred when foundation chairman, businessman
\nProbosutedjo, -- also former president Soeharto's stepbrother --
\nabruptly closed the workshop last August citing bankruptcy, Erna
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
At the request of the foundation, the board then approved the
\ndismissal of the workshop's 84 workers, including the workshop's
\nmanager and three other staff, she said.<\/p>\n
According to the 80 disabled workers, the bankruptcy was
\nmainly caused by the manager and the three staff members -- all
\nof whom are able bodied.<\/p>\n
The aggrieved workers, however, provided no further details
\nregarding their accusation.<\/p>\n
Following the closure of the workshop, Probosutedjo asked the
\n80 workers to return to their respective hometowns in Central
\nJava, from where the foundation staff first picked them up in the
\n1970s, Erna said.<\/p>\n
The lawyer said her clients refused the offer and asked the
\ngovernment to allow them to manage the workshop, which had
\nprovided a variety of businesses, including printing, garment and
\nhandicraft manufacture and a household store.<\/p>\n
She said the workers had visited the foundation office on Jl.
\nTeuku Umar, Central Jakarta, however, the office had been vacant
\nsince Soeharto stepped down last May.<\/p>\n
The workers had complained to several related organizations,
\nincluding the Ministry of Social Services, but had received
\nunsatisfactory responses, she said.<\/p>\n
The workers would soon visit the Coordinating Minister for
\nPeople's Welfare and Poverty Eradication's office which now
\nmanages foundations formerly controlled by Soeharto, she said.
\n(jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/80-disabled-workers-sue-arbitration-board-1447893297",
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