SBSI threatens to organize more labor strikes<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI)
\nthreatens to organize more strikes if the government refuses to
\nraise the minimum wages for workers throughout the country.<\/p>\n
"We will organize labor strikes in Lampung, Tangerang and
\nSurabaya if the government turns down the demands like the one
\nvoiced by workers in Medan last week," said Sunarti, SBSI vice
\nchairperson, here yesterday.<\/p>\n
In last week's protest rally, which later turned into a bloody
\nriot, the 10,000 workers also demanded an official recognition to
\nthe SBSI, the country's only independent trade union.<\/p>\n
Sunarti told The Jakarta Post she refused to entertain the
\nnotion that SBSI be held responsible for the riot and called on
\nthe local authorities to investigate the case thoroughly.<\/p>\n
She said certain individuals and gangs have abused the labor
\nrally to create chaos in the city and to discredit the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
"We have evidence that the riots were masterminded by certain
\nindividuals who are against the Indonesians of Chinese origin
\nwhich are playing a dominant role in the province's economy," she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Sunarti said she considered the workers' demands to be
\nreasonable and humane. "The current minimum wage level set by
\nthe government is irrational because it is too small to meet the
\nhuman basic needs."<\/p>\n
Besides, the government should learn from the strike that SBSI
\nhas gained footholds here and, therefore, should be recognized,"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Demonstration<\/p>\n
About 10,000 of workers staged a two-day demonstration last
\nweek to urge North Sumatra Governor Radja Inal Siregar to raise
\nthe daily minimum wage in the province from Rp 3,100 (US$1.44) to
\nRp 7,000. They also demanded that the government accept SBSI's
\nexistence. Finally, they required that the government conduct a
\nthorough investigation in to the death of a fellow worker, who
\nwas found floating in Deli River last month.<\/p>\n
The labor protest Friday left one man dead, 12 injured, 150
\nshops ransacked and looted, and 12 cars set ablaze.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, despite the guarantees from the local military
\nauthority, the situation in the North Sumatran capital city
\nremained tense.<\/p>\n
About 8,000 workers in several factories there and in the
\ncity outskirts continued their demonstrations to press their
\ncause. Thousands of police and security officers were still
\ndeployed to the industrial zone located between Medan and the
\nseaport town of Belawan. They were also posted in shopping areas
\nwhere shops and supermarkets remained closed.<\/p>\n
Illegal<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Director General for Industrial Relations and Labor
\nStandards Suwarto told the Post that the worker rallies were
\nillegal because they were staged without a permit from the Medan
\nsecurity authorities.<\/p>\n
"Workers, of course, have the right to go to strike but they
\nmust have a permit from authorities, or at least the police,
\nbeforehand," he said.<\/p>\n
"The Medan labor rallies were not proposed to the local
\nauthorities and, therefore, whoever has organized and
\nmasterminded them should be prosecuted."<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the rallies and riots were not a labor but
\ncriminal case that affected the national and economic stability
\nin the province.<\/p>\n
He appreciated the action taken by the Northern Sumatra
\nSecurity Agency (Bakorstanasda) in handling the case.<\/p>\n
Bakorstanasda is conducting an investigation of 20 strikers
\ninvolved in the riots. There were 60 others released on Saturday.<\/p>\n
When asked about the strikers' demands, Suwarto said they were
\nunreasonable.<\/p>\n
"It is impossible for the government to raise the minimum wage
\nlevels arbitrarily before the local board for wage assessment
\nproposes it.<\/p>\n
"How can the workers set such a high rate. Even in Jakarta the
\ndaily minimum wage is only set at Rp 3,800," he said. He added
\nthat the daily minimum wage levels were set in accordance to
\nprice index in regions.<\/p>\n
He said the time had not yet come when workers could set up
\ntheir own labor union that would be separate from the government-
\nbacked All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI.)<\/p>\n
"What the government is doing now is educating workers to
\norganize in the workplace," he said, in reference to the
\nministerial decree on labor organizations, issued in Jan. 9, this
\nyear. (rmn\/rms)<\/p>",
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