Garment factory workers stage strike<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of employees of PT Agung Busana Jaya, a
\ngarment factory on Jl. Sinar Budi, North Jakarta, continued their
\nstrike yesterday following the refusal of the company's
\nmanagement for negotiations over a labor dispute.<\/p>\n
\"We'll go on striking if the company doesn't fulfill our
\ndemands,\" said Susi Rahayu, 19, the spokeswoman for the strikers.
\nWorkers began their strike last Monday.<\/p>\n
Clad in their light blue uniforms, the strikers waved posters
\nand a banner which read: \"Hello boss, please respect the
\nIndonesian law\" and \"Workers of ABJ demand better payment.\"<\/p>\n
Susi said the strikers demanded their employers give them a
\ndaily transport and food allowance of Rp 2,000 and to administer
\nthe social insurance.<\/p>\n
\"They already pay the standard minimum wage, but it is not
\nenough for living in Jakarta,\" Susi said.<\/p>\n
Yuzhar Tayang and Suresh Melwani, the president and production
\nmanager of PT Agung Busana Jaya respectively told The Jakarta
\nPost yesterday that the strikers did not represent the majority
\nof the employees working in the company.<\/p>\n
He said less than 50 of the 460 workers of PT Agung Busana
\nJaya were involved in the strike.<\/p>\n
\"We negotiated with another group last year. The result was
\nnot accepted by this group. Which group should we talk to?\" he
\nsaid, admitting the company still has no trade union.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government rules every company employing more
\nthan 25 workers must help the workers establish a state-sponsored
\nunion.<\/p>\n
Forced to work<\/p>\n
Susi claimed her group could get majority support if foremen
\ndo not forcibly grab striking workers and make them go back to
\nthe production line.<\/p>\n
\"They also come at night and terrorize their colleagues into
\nparticipating in the protest,\" said Suresh.<\/p>\n
Yuzhar also considered the strike unethical because they
\nstaged it without trying to discuss the problem with management.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot discuss it with management because other co-workers
\nhave tried already and they were dismissed,\" said Mulyani, 20,
\nanother striker, referring to a few labor activists who were
\nfired from the company.<\/p>\n
Mulyani also questioned management's handling of menstruation
\nleave. She said management makes it difficult for female workers
\nto take the two-day leave.<\/p>\n
\"We are asked to be present on the first day and sometimes
\nhave to work. We practically only get one day leave,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Suresh responded that the workers had abused the two-day leave
\nto avoid having to redo incorrect work.<\/p>\n
\"We are in a rush to export our products which makes us hire
\nother workers to do the repair work,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Mulyani admitted a fellow laborer had behaved in this manner,
\n\"But you cannot punish everyone because of one person's
\nbehavior.\" (09)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/garment-factory-workers-stage-strike-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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