Mandala stewardesses seek legal advice over dismissal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Forty Mandala Airlines stewardesses took legal
\nadvice yesterday over their dismissal last month, a decision they
\nclaim was groundless and unclear.<\/p>\n
Wearing their yellow-and-white uniforms, the staff told
\nexecutives of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute that their
\ndismissals were baseless since the private airline's performance
\nis currently improving.<\/p>\n
\"The company has just opened three new routes in addition to
\nthe previous 12 routes,\" Rika Wijayanti, the protesters'
\nspokeswoman, said.<\/p>\n
\"It is also operating one more plane, making the total fleet
\nnine planes.\"<\/p>\n
The airline even raised the employees' salaries, which in
\nJanuary were halved on economic grounds.<\/p>\n
Last month, the employees' monthly salaries -- ranging from Rp
\n150,000 (US$9) to Rp 1 million -- were cut only 10 percent, Rika
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"It shows that the company's financial performance is getting
\nbetter. So there's no legitimate reason to dismiss us,\" Rika
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The stewardesses, who are seeking legal advice from the
\ninstitute, also questioned the transparency of the decision.<\/p>\n
\"Why me? Why us? And why not the others?\" Rika asked.<\/p>\n
According to the stewardesses, Mandala dismissed them on June
\n9 through letters distributed by the office's cleaning service
\nemployees.<\/p>\n
Some of the stewardesses were on pregnancy and maternity
\nleaves when they received their letters, which, Rika said,
\nviolated manpower regulations.<\/p>\n
The company invited the employees to discuss the dismissal but
\nthe parties failed to reach an agreement, she said.<\/p>\n
During the meeting at the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, the
\nstewardesses demanded their in-flight service manager Lutfia
\nHidayatie and her assistants be fired by Mandala because of their
\nunprofessional attitudes.<\/p>\n
Institute lawyer Rita Olivia, who is representing the
\nstewardesses, told the media that she invited Mandala's
\nexecutives to attend yesterday's meeting.<\/p>\n
In its response, the company said in a letter that the
\nmanagement refused to meet with the stewardesses, saying that the
\ncase has been handed over to the city office of the Ministry of
\nManpower.<\/p>\n
Mandala's business director Armyn Siregar said in the letter
\nthat the company dismissed 40 of its 145 stewardesses because of
\nthe economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Armyn said the company would give severance pay in accordance
\nwith the manpower regulations.<\/p>\n
Rita said the institute will again ask the company to discuss
\nthe dispute at the institute's office.<\/p>\n
\"But if the company refuses to meet with the stewardesses, we
\nwill visit the company's head office on Jl. Angkasa, Central
\nJakarta to ask for an explanation,\" she said. (jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mandala-stewardesses-seek-legal-advice-over-dismissal-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}