HongkongBank case discussed at arbitration body<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The central board of the arbitration committee,
\nwhich is attempting to resolve the ongoing dispute between the
\nmanagement and union of HongkongBank, finally reached an
\nagreement yesterday.<\/p>\n
It was agreed to discuss the management's request to dismiss
\n200 employees, Yunus Samad, the chairman of the committee told
\nreporters.<\/p>\n
\"They have one week to discuss the problem, before they report
\nto us on June 10,\" Yunus said after the meeting, which was held
\nat the Ministry of Manpower.<\/p>\n
The bipartite meeting will discuss the rights and obligations
\nof both management and employees, Yunus said.<\/p>\n
The committee will then further consider whether to meet the
\nmanagement's request to dismiss 200 employees.<\/p>\n
During this week the situation remains as it was, Yunus said.
\nThis means the 11 union leaders and the 200 employees will still
\ndraw full salaries, in line with the company's collective labor
\nagreement on rights of suspended workers. The remaining 189 will
\nnot be paid as they have refused the management's request to stop
\nstriking and go back to work.<\/p>\n
The rift between management and employees of the Bank, stems
\nfrom the negotiations of a new collective labor agreement which
\nwas to replace the old one.<\/p>\n
A CLA is an agreement between management and a company union
\non the rights and obligations of workers and management effective
\nfor a certain period.<\/p>\n
The management had said earlier some of the proposals were
\n\"irrational and out of proportion\" while employees said their
\ndemands were reasonable, and based on \"comparative, empirical\"
\nstudies.<\/p>\n
The 11 union representatives were suspended on the grounds of
\ninstigating an illegal strike, the management has said.<\/p>\n
The management then said they considered 189 employees
\ninvolved in the strike to have effectively resigned, as they
\nfailed to show up for work for five days without notice. This is
\njustification for dismissal according to a 1996 labor law.<\/p>\n
Workers had said they were not absent but on strike, demanding
\nthe management reinstate their union representatives and continue
\nnegotiations of the new collective labor agreement (CLA).<\/p>\n
A deadlock resulted as the management had wanted to discuss
\nthe dismissal, while workers wanted to discuss the CLA.<\/p>\n
Dismissal of more than 10 employees requires the permission of
\nthe central board of the committee, under the auspices of the
\nMinistry of Manpower.<\/p>\n
\"We received the request 10 days ago,\" Yunus said. The
\ncommittee summoned both parties on Monday. However, the meeting
\nonly came about yesterday, as the union failed to turn up
\nearlier.<\/p>\n
\"We want this process to be as fast as possible,\" Sabar
\nSianturi, the director of Labor Standards at the Ministry.<\/p>\n
At the meeting HongkongBank was represented by Joko Sudibyo
\nand Abdulrahman from the management and union representatives,
\nincluding chairman Ugianto and spokesman Saepul Tavip. Meanwhile
\nmany of the 189 employees were waiting outside.<\/p>\n
Also present was Wilhelmus Bhoka from the central board of the
\nFederation of the All Indonesian Workers Union. He said he is
\noptimistic the arbitration committee can help, arguing that it
\n\"..considers not only legal matters, but the public interest\".
\n(anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hongkongbank-case-discussed-at-arbitration-body-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}