PT Kadera workers vow to continue their strike<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Workers of car upholstery producer PT Kadera AR
\nIndonesia in the Pulogadung industrial estate in East Jakarta
\nsaid on Saturday they would continue their strike until the
\ncompany's management met their demands.<\/p>\n
The workers said an attack on striking workers by some 500
\nunidentified people in the early hours of Thursday, which left
\none dead and 11 injured, would not stop them from fighting for
\ntheir rights.<\/p>\n
"I have been working for the company for nine years, but I
\nonly receive Rp 374,000 (US$37.40) per month and a Rp 4,000
\ntransportation allowance per day," one of the workers, Marijo,
\n38, told The Jakarta Post while visiting an injured colleague,
\nRachmat Hidayat, at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM).<\/p>\n
"Our demands are logical and negotiable, but the company's
\nmanagement has never shown the good intention of meeting the
\ndemands of the 600 workers," another worker, Zainal, said.<\/p>\n
"Although it is hard to find a job now, we will better off
\nleaving the company if the management keeps ignoring our demands.
\nWe have even lowered our demand for a 100 percent salary increase
\nto 75 percent," another worker, Djoko, added.<\/p>\n
The striking workers have made four demands: a 100 percent,
\nnow 75 percent, increase in salary, the revocation of the
\nsuspensions of two employees, the granting of permanent employee
\nstatus for workers who have been with the company for over 18
\nmonths and the dismissal of the company's vice president, Rulichi
\nSujatim.<\/p>\n
The workers, who have been camped inside the factory grounds
\nsince the strike began on March 19, were asleep when around 500
\nunidentified people, armed with machetes, swords and homemade
\nbombs, arrived in seven buses and attacked the workers.<\/p>\n
One of the workers, Kimun Effendi, 21, a resident of Jl.
\nKedondong II in Kranji, Bekasi, died from wounds caused by a
\nhomemade explosive thrown at the striking workers during the
\nattack.<\/p>\n
Three other workers who suffered serious injuries in the
\nattack are still in the hospital. The condition of Njen Jaelani,
\nwho is being treated at Islamic Hospital in Pondok Kopi, East
\nJakarta, is improving. Meanwhile, Rachmat Hidayat remained
\nunconscious as of Saturday at RSCM.<\/p>\n
Rahcmat's father, Hadi Pranoto, 50, who arrived at the
\nhospital from Wates in Yogyakarta on Saturday, said he was
\nshocked by his son's condition.<\/p>\n
"I was just told that my son was sick and hospitalized," he
\ntold the Post.<\/p>\n
The father of four said his family was still in grief over the
\ndeath of one of Rachmat's younger brothers last month.<\/p>\n
One of the company's managers, Jasmin Setiawan, who visited
\nRachmat and met with his relatives, said the company would pay
\nfor all of Rachmat's medical expenses.<\/p>\n
However, Rachmat's family said they believed the company's
\nexecutives were behind the attack.<\/p>\n
Company vice president Rulichi and deputy general manager
\nAmrin Gobel, who were questioned by East Jakarta Police
\ndetectives on Friday, denied any involvement in the attack.<\/p>\n
Muchtar Pakpahan of the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union
\n(SBSI) said collusion between businesspeople, security forces,
\nthe bureaucracy and hoodlums had become the trend in putting down
\nstrikes.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan said SBSI had urged police to investigate the
\ncompany's executives, otherwise there was the risk of an incident
\nsimilar to the murder of labor activist Marsinah.<\/p>\n
"The New Order regime used to sell this nation through the low
\nsalaries of workers and used TNI (Indonesia Military) personnel
\nto intimidate workers on the grounds of stability. Now this role
\nis being filled by businessmen, the police, the bureaucracy and
\nhoodlums," he told the Post.<\/p>\n
He suggested the government do more to enforce Law No. 21 on
\nthe empowerment of labor, which was endorsed by the House of
\nRepresentatives this year.<\/p>\n
Most workers in disputes with their companies eventually end
\nmired in deadlock because businesspeople often are backed by the
\nbureaucracy and security forces, according to a report from the
\nJakarta Legal Aid Institute. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pt-kadera-workers-vow-to-continue-their-strike-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}