Garment workers end strike<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Around 400 employees, mostly women, from a
\ngarment factory in East Jakarta went on strike yesterday,
\ndemanding transportation allowances and overtime pay for working
\non Sundays.<\/p>\n
The employees of PT Amsia Trimitra on Jl. Suci in the Ciracas
\ndistrict were also asking for menstruation leave.<\/p>\n
There were no incidents of violence reported in the strike,
\nwhich started at 8:00 a.m. yesterday and lasted into the evening.<\/p>\n
One protester said that the company does pay its employees the
\nregional daily minimum wage of Rp 5,200 (US$2.26) a day. But, she
\nadded, \"we have never received Sunday overtime work pay or a
\ntransportation allowance.\"<\/p>\n
\"Our representatives are now negotiating with the management,\"
\nadded the woman who asked not to be identified.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, workers at a cable factory filed a complaint with
\nthe city council regarding welfare benefits.<\/p>\n
The 12 workers at PT Indo Trijaya Industry, claiming to
\nrepresent 500 others, asked the council's commission E for social
\nwelfare to help them settle their dispute with the company.<\/p>\n
Ahmad Riyadi, spokesman for the workers, said that they were
\nasking the company to increase their transport and lunch
\nallowances and to enroll them in a health insurance program.<\/p>\n
\"We demand that the company increase our transportation
\nallowance from Rp 600 (US 26 cents) to Rp 1,800 and our lunch
\nallowance from Rp 800 to Rp 1,500 per day,\" Ahmad told members of
\nthe commission.<\/p>\n
The workers, many of whom have been working for the company
\nfor more than 20 years, said the current allowances are not
\nsufficient, especially since bus fares were raised last month.<\/p>\n
The government raised minibus fares from Rp 300 to Rp 400
\nminibus, and regular bus fares from Rp 250 to Rp 300.<\/p>\n
He also said that the company has been violating a manpower
\nministry regulation on wages by paying a 25-day salary instead of
\na 30-day monthly salary as required by law.<\/p>\n
He said that the complaint would be their last attempt to
\nforce the company to fulfill their demands as their strikes and
\nother actions have all failed.<\/p>\n
Commission E head Atje Mulyadi said the commission will soon
\ninvite the company's management to give its side of the story.
\n(jun\/yns)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/garment-workers-end-strike-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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