Enteos workers seeking help from rights body<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Twenty people representing 170 workers of PT
\nIlmu Inti Swadaya, which is run by the Enteos Club, went to the
\nheadquarters of the National Commission on Human Rights over the
\nweekend to ask the body to help settle a dispute about unpaid
\nsalaries.<\/p>\n
The workers were received by the commission's secretary,
\nBaharuddin Lopa, who promised to lend a helping hand. He said the
\nbody would immediately report the case to the Ministry of
\nManpower, the Jakarta branch of the Legal Aid Institute told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Pemmy Waluyo, who acted as the spokesman for the workers, said
\nthe Enteos Club had paid them in installments since December
\n1994, rather than monthly, as required by law.<\/p>\n
The dispute began when the Enteos Club failed to pay a Rp 3.5
\nbillion (around US$1.5 million) electricity bill to PT Mulia
\nPerdana Pacific, owner of the premises used by PT Ilmu Inti
\nSwadaya.<\/p>\n
Because Enteos was unable to pay the bill, PT Mulia Perdana
\nPacific cut off all electric and telephone services, forcing the
\nclub to operate without electricity and telephones from Dec. 13,
\n1994, to May 7, 1995.<\/p>\n
Despite the lack of electricity and telephones, all workers
\nwere asked to turn up every day. But the workers only received a
\nsegment of their pay in installments without any interest during
\nthe period when the club was deprived of electricity and phones.<\/p>\n
From May 7 to Oct. 31, 1995, the company reopened with all
\nutilities restored, but the workers still received their pay in
\ninstallments.<\/p>\n
On Nov. 1 last year, the owner of the building once again cut
\noff the electricity and telephone services. The Enteos Club again
\nasked the workers to turn up for work every day despite the
\ndearth of facilities.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Linda J. Tani, the club's president, then said that the
\nclub could not afford to pay the workers' salaries because it was
\nno longer operational. She asked the workers to seek new jobs
\nelsewhere.<\/p>\n
At the insistence of the workers, Linda and her staff held a
\nmeeting with several representatives of the employees on Jan. 23
\nduring which she offered to give each worker Rp 200,000 in
\nseverance pay. The money was to be paid in two installments, Rp
\n100,000 on Feb.29 and another Rp 100,000 on March 31. But the
\nworkers flatly rejected the offer because they considered it
\ninadequate. They also refused to resign as ordered by the
\ncompany.<\/p>\n
The workers then sought help from the Legal Aid Institute.
\nThey asked it to help press their demand that the club pay their
\nfull salaries from November 1995 to January 1996. They also asked
\nthe company to give them severance pay and interest for the part
\nof their salaries not paid to them.<\/p>\n
The workers said Linda's claim that the club was bankrupt and
\nthus could not afford to pay their salaries was highly
\nimprobable, given the fact that the club currently has 1,059
\nmembers, with each member paying an admission fee of US$ 5,000
\nand an annual fee of US$ 1,500. (bas)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/enteos-workers-seeking-help-from-rights-body-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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