PT DI, workers offered last chance to negotiate<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Central Committee for Settlements of Labor Disputes (P4P)
\nasked on Thursday that the management and 6,600 dismissed workers
\nof ailing aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI)
\ngo back to the negotiating table for a solution.<\/p>\n
\"All 15 members of P4P agreed that the management and workers
\nneed to seek win-win solution in the next 12 days, otherwise P4P
\nwill make its own decision in the dispute on Jan. 27,\" P4P
\nChairman Sabar Sianturi announced after meeting the two sides.<\/p>\n
Alexander Sinaga, a P4P member, added that PT DI president
\nEdwin Soedarmo should listen to P4P's offer, otherwise the
\nmanagement could lose the case, and the workers -- with the help
\nof third parties -- could politicize the whole issue.<\/p>\n
He said the committee had the impression that the management's
\nreasons for laying off the workers was weak.<\/p>\n
During the five-hour hearing, Edwin supposedly did not express
\na convincing argument for the massive labor dismissal at the
\nstate-owned company.<\/p>\n
\"The dismissal was inevitable because the company has been
\nlosing money since 1991 and we could not pay debts to local and
\nforeign creditors,\" Edwin replied, when asked why the company was
\nsuffering financial problems.<\/p>\n
Arief Winardi, chairman of PT DI workers Trade Union (SP FKK
\nPT DI), opposed the lay off and called it irrational, saying that
\nthe management could not blame the financial difficulties on the
\nworkers because the difficulties were caused by corruption,
\ninefficiency and mismanagement.<\/p>\n
\"The corruption and inefficiency have cost the company between
\nRp 2 trillion and Rp 3 trillion since 1997. We have data and
\nevidence on a number of incidences of corruption and inefficient
\nmethods since 1997. Everyone knows the company is a cash cow for
\nthe current regime and previous ones,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Arief insisted that the company's main problem was not
\noverstaffing but, mismanagement and unprofessionalism.<\/p>\n
\"Despite a difficult market for its main products, PT DI has
\nalso has other units that have made a profit.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Johnson Pandjaitan who is working on the case, said he
\nand the dismissed workers would wage an all-out battle to win.<\/p>\n
\"Thank God, we have received moral, political and financial
\nsupport to fight this case. We are seeking more political support
\nto pressure the government to heed our demands,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pt-di-workers-offered-last-chance-to-negotiate-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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