Govt knocks back demands of railway workers<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
he government has turned down demands from thousands of
\nprotesting workers of state railway company PT Kereta Api
\nIndonesia (KAI) to reinstate their status as civil servants, thus
\nmaking more likely the possibility of a nationwide strike.<\/p>\n
Minister of Transportation Hatta Radjasa said that an
\ninterdepartmental meeting had concluded that the government would
\nnot revoke Ministerial Decree No. 18\/1992, which changed the
\nstatus of KAI workers to that of regular company employees.<\/p>\n
He added that he had discussed the matter with President
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono.<\/p>\n
Thousands of workers and retirees of KAI held a rally in front
\nof the ministry on Wednesday, calling on the government to drop
\nthe decree.<\/p>\n
Unsatisfied with the minister's response, the protesting
\nworkers marched to the Constitutional Court, demanding a judicial
\nreview of the decree.<\/p>\n
But a spokesman of the company Ahmad Sujadi was quoted by
\nAntara as saying that there was no response from the court.<\/p>\n
He reiterated that workers would hold a nationwide strike on
\nAug. 1-3 unless their demand was fulfilled.<\/p>\n
According to the decree, the status of KAI workers would be
\nchanged from civil servants to regular employees.<\/p>\n
As a consequence of the status change, workers and retirees
\nwould receive lower payments than civil servants, while also not
\nenjoying other benefits, such as the annual additional month's
\nsalary given to government employees.<\/p>\n
Responding to the protest, Hatta could only promise that the
\ngovernment would fulfill its responsibilities by disbursing Rp
\n500 billion (US$52.6 million) as compensation for the workers as
\na consequence of the status change.<\/p>\n
"This is just an administrative problem. We have discussed
\nthis with the State Minister for State Enterprises last night. We
\nhave already thought about administrative solutions to this
\ncase," he added without providing details.<\/p>\n
KAI spokesman Noor Hamidi had said that the company hoped that
\nworkers would not go on strike because it would only hurt the
\npublic, who were highly dependent on the train service.<\/p>\n
However, head of the railway worker's union Amien Abdulrachman
\nsaid that a strike was necessary to send a message to management
\nand the government about the poor economic situation of KAI
\nworkers and retirees.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, the workers also reiterated their demand that the
\ngovernment change the current management, led by president
\ndirector Omar Berto, as soon as possible, due to its poor track
\nrecord.<\/p>\n
State Minister for State Enterprises for State Enterprises
\nSugiharto indicated last week, in the aftermath of the railway
\naccident in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, that the government was
\nplanning to replace Berto soon.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-knocks-back-demands-of-railway-workers-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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