PTDI workers rally over pay cuts<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung<\/p>\n
Thousands of suspended workers of state-owned aircraft maker PT
\nDirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) again staged a rally here on
\nWednesday, demanding that their salaries be paid in full.<\/p>\n
AM Bone, secretary-general of the Communication Forum for
\nPTDI Employees, said that the 3,900 suspended workers had only
\nreceived 10 percent of their salaries, or between Rp 30,000
\n(US$3.5) and Rp 200,000 this month.<\/p>\n
\"It's inhumane. This percentage is not enough to pay our
\nchildren's tuition fees. It's not even enough for a week's
\nmeals,\" he told the crowd during the rally outside the company's
\ncompound.<\/p>\n
Bone said that the workers had slammed the management for
\nmiscalculating the company's financial ability before suspending
\nthem.<\/p>\n
The management had earlier indicated that the workers would be
\nfully paid -- except for transport and meal allowances --
\nalthough they were suspended.<\/p>\n
One of the protesting workers, Endi, said that when he checked
\nhis bank account he realized that he had been paid just Rp
\n150,000.<\/p>\n
\"I was shocked. How can I cover our needs during Ramadhan and
\nthe Idul Fitri celebrations?\" Endi asked, bursting into tears.<\/p>\n
But even the hundreds of workers who had rejoined the company,
\nafter passing a selection test, reportedly received only 25
\npercent of their monthly salaries this year.<\/p>\n
Legislator Alvin Lie from the National Mandate Party (PAN) was
\nseen among the protesters, lending his support.<\/p>\n
Later, accompanied by the labor union's executives, he met
\nwith the company's director for technology Muharyan and the
\ncorporate secretary, Mochtar Syarief.<\/p>\n
The company's management admitted that they could not afford
\nto pay the workers fully. They said that, as of this month, the
\ncompany had only Rp 2 billion left.<\/p>\n
Muharyan said that the government's promise of a US$54 million
\nbridging loan, for the company's working capital and severance
\npayments, had not yet been realized.<\/p>\n
\"I promise to meet with the minister of finance soon to secure
\nthe disbursement of the loan,\" Alvin said after the meeting.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the workers union was forced to ask the West Java
\nlogistics agency to provide them with 150 tons of rice, promising
\nthat they would pay for it later.<\/p>\n
Separately, PTDI director for general affairs Nuril Fuad said
\nthat the company will pay the workers' basic salaries fully and
\ntheir Idul Fitri allowance, as soon as the government disbursed
\nthe bridging loan.<\/p>\n
He said that the management had first discussed the loan with
\nthe government last March.<\/p>\n
He called on the workers to be patient and to understand that
\nthe company was experiencing difficulties too, as it had huge
\ndebts to repay.<\/p>\n
In July 2003, the company suspended 9,647 of its more than
\n12,000 employees. It later laid off 3,900 workers, including some
\nwho had initially been suspended.<\/p>\n
At least 5,057 of those suspended took part in a selection
\ntest to be rehired by the company. President director of PTDI
\nEdwin Sudarmo has said 4,957 employees passed the test.<\/p>\n
The company, which was largely subsidized by the government
\nunder former president Soeharto, reached its heyday when it was
\nled by former minister of research and technology B.J. Habibie.
\nBillions of rupiah of reforestation funds were used to support
\nthe company at that time.<\/p>\n
Although Habibie was hand-picked by Soeharto to succeed him as
\nthe country's third president in 1998, like any other company,
\nthe aircraft maker was hit by the economic crisis that started in
\nmid-July 1997.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ptdi-workers-rally-over-pay-cuts-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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