Shangri-La management to take legal steps over strike<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The management of the five-star Shangri-La Hotel
\nsaid here on Saturday that legal steps would be taken to settle
\nthe all out workers strike and the 'illegal' occupation of the
\nhotel from Dec. 22 to Dec. 25.<\/p>\n
Peter J. Carmichael, Shangri-La Indonesia-Fiji General
\nManager, told reporters that management had tried to accommodate
\nworkers demands in line with existing (manpower) laws.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Mulyadi of Maqdir & Mulyadi Law Firm, who accompanied
\nPeter, said management had asked police to investigate what was
\nreally behind the strike.<\/p>\n
\"The striking employees have violated the laws by occupying
\nthe hotel and taking four expatriate managers as hostages. These
\nare our main reasons for requesting the police to handle the
\ncase,\" Mulyadi said.<\/p>\n
According to Carmichael, the occupation of the hotel by some
\nemployees occurred while negotiations between management and the
\nShangri-La Independent Worker Union (SPSM) were underway.<\/p>\n
\"This is certainly illegal and has legal consequences,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Some 500 staff, mostly on-duty employees from the Food &
\nBeverage, Room Service, Security and Engineering units, started
\nthe strike following a prolonged dispute over several matters,
\nparticularly their service charges, pension fund, and the
\nsuspension of workers.<\/p>\n
Several guests had to be evacuated to other hotels and the
\nhotel has had to halt operations since Dec. 22.<\/p>\n
Carmichael said that service charges had been equally
\ndistributed following negotiations between management and SPSM,
\nwhich was recognized by the Ministry of Manpower on Oct. 19 this
\nyear.<\/p>\n
He said SPSM had reconfirmed the collective labor agreement of
\nOct. 20 in which the transportation allowance was increased from
\nRp 60,000 to Rp 100,000. \"The amount will be Rp 130,000 starting
\nJanuary 2001,\" he added.<\/p>\n
But SPSM arbitrarily canceled the agreement and turned down
\nmanagement's invitation for further discussions on the workers'
\ndemands.<\/p>\n
\"The hotel management will no longer negotiate with the union
\nuntil a legal settlement is reached,\" he stressed.<\/p>\n
The 32-story Shangri-La Hotel which has 668 rooms and suites
\nis located on Jl. Karet Pasar Baru Timur, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Since Dec. 22, the hotel has suffered billions of rupiah in
\nlosses.\"<\/p>\n
He said the losses ranged from daily revenue, customer's
\nclaims over canceled bookings, and damages during the strike,
\nadding that the losses would continue until the hotel resumed
\noperation.<\/p>\n
Management estimated losses of Rp 10 billion from daily income
\nas of Dec. 31.<\/p>\n
\"But, the biggest loss is the nonmaterial damage... the
\nhotel's good reputation,\" said Carmichael.<\/p>\n
When asked how long a legal settlement would take and when the
\nhotel would resume operation, Carmichael said the Management had
\nhanded over the matter to the authorities. \"Hopefully the hotel
\nwill resume operation soon. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/shangri-la-management-to-take-legal-steps-over-strike-1447893297",
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