Garuda fires 233 technicians<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Months of dispute between Garuda Indonesia and a number of its
\ntechnicians took a turn for the worse on Friday when the national
\ncarrier announced it would dismiss 233 maintenance technicians.<\/p>\n
Garuda spokesman Pujobroto, in a statement, said the
\ntechnicians had continued to refuse to be transferred to a Garuda
\nsubsidiary as of Thursday's deadline.<\/p>\n
\"... Garuda Indonesia is currently laying-off employees who
\nrefuse to join GMFAA (PT Garuda Maintenance Facility Aero Asia),\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Pujobroto said that as Garuda did not have a maintenance unit
\nany longer as it was shifted to GMFAA, the carrier would not need
\nthe technicians any longer.<\/p>\n
The dispute began when Garuda asked its technicians working
\nfor its maintenance unit to move to GMFAA, owned 99 percent by
\nGaruda.<\/p>\n
The move was part of a government 2002-2006 restructuring
\nmasterplan forcing state-owned companies to focus on their core
\nbusinesses.<\/p>\n
In Garuda case, the carrier has to focus on its flight
\nservices and has to spin-off its other businesses, including the
\nmaintenance unit.<\/p>\n
However in May, as many as 641 technicians from Garuda's
\nAircraft Technicians Association (ITPU) threatened to strike,
\nrefusing to be transferred. They said that GMFAA was a relatively
\nnew company offering no clear business plans or no certainty for
\nits employees' future.<\/p>\n
Garuda shrugged off the threat, saying it had another 1,300
\nlicensed technicians who could handle the ITPU technicians' job.<\/p>\n
The release said the lay-off process would be carried out
\nuntil Aug. 31.<\/p>\n
\"In carrying out the lay-off process, Garuda will give the
\nemployees' rights based on Law No.13\/2003 on labor.\"<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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