Protesting water firm workers break into Palyja office<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 30 members of city-owned water management
\ncompany PDAM Jaya's labor union broke into a PT Palyja office in
\nBendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday morning and forced
\ntheir colleagues to join their protest.<\/p>\n
Uraini Umarjadi, public relations manager at PT Pam Lyonnaise
\nJaya (Palyja), one of PDAM Jaya's two foreign joint venture
\npartners, said on Wednesday the union members terrorized the 33
\nemployees in the office, which is used to serve the company's
\nlarge customers, forcing them to stop working.<\/p>\n
No serious incidents were recorded, but a number of chairs and
\ncups were broken by the union members, who arrived at about 10:30
\na.m.<\/p>\n
\"Immediately after they entered the office, the union members
\nshouted, asking the employees to halt their activities and join
\ntheir demonstration,\" Uraini said.<\/p>\n
When the office workers refused to join the protest, some of
\nthe union members began throwing chairs and cups, she said.<\/p>\n
Fearing a possible clash, the office staff obeyed the union
\nmembers' demand and left the office at 12:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
The union members then left the office.<\/p>\n
\"Today, only four employees came to the office,\" she said.<\/p>\n
According to Uraini, the building was guarded by two police
\nofficers. They, however, were unable to prevent the labor union
\nmembers from entering the office, she said.<\/p>\n
She said the union members claimed the act was part of their
\nefforts to make their strike a success.<\/p>\n
Palyja president Christian Michelon expressed disappointment
\nover the incident in a written statement on Wednesday, saying
\nsuch actions were intolerable.<\/p>\n
\"A labor union is formed to protect and ensure the welfare and
\nsecurity of the staff, not to terrorize or frighten those who are
\ndedicating their services to the community,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of PDAM Jaya employees in the labor union have staged
\ncontinuous rallies since April 8 to demand the cancellation of
\nwater management cooperations between PDAM Jaya and its foreign
\npartners.<\/p>\n
Misunderstanding<\/p>\n
Labor union founder Amir R. Tanjung confirmed on Wednesday
\nthat some of the union's members had entered the Palyja office in
\nBendungan Hilir but denied they had terrorized the employees.<\/p>\n
\"There was no terror. It's maybe just a misunderstanding that
\nthe office employees were being forced to join our movement,\" he
\nsaid after being questioned by officials from the city
\ninspectorate office at City Hall over the union's demonstrations.<\/p>\n
He also said the union had a special team of 100 union members
\nwho were assigned to enter PDAM Jaya offices, including those
\nbeing used by the two joint venture partners, to ask whether
\nemployees who were union members would join the protest.<\/p>\n
When asked about his questioning, Amir said the officials
\nfocused their questions on the reasons and people behind the
\nprotests.<\/p>\n
\"I told them we demanded the cancellation of the water
\nmanagement agreements and were not protesting salary disparities.
\nWe also convinced them that we are financing the protests
\nourselves,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the labor union had received financial assistance
\namounting to some Rp 10 million from PDAM Jaya president Rama
\nBoedi to make labor union member cards.<\/p>\n
\"But he isn't involved in our movement,\" Amir said.<\/p>\n
There is speculation Rama is behind the rallies because he has
\nfailed to stop the protests and asked Governor Sutiyoso not to
\nget involved in the case.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso has said Rama could be replaced if he was found
\nincapable of managing the firm's employees. (ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/protesting-water-firm-workers-break-into-palyja-office-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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