Tanjung Priok Port strike ends, situation returns to normal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Activities at the Tanjung Priok harbor in North
\nJakarta have returned to normal since Saturday after an agreement
\nwas reached between the management of the terminal and workers.<\/p>\n
The workers of the Jakarta International Container Terminal
\n(JICT), who went on a one-day strike Friday, were demanding that
\nthe management cancel the planned transfer of nine of their
\ncolleagues, who were union activists.<\/p>\n
"With the agreement, we've continued our work," said union
\nsecretary Irma S. Chan, among the nine unionists to be
\ntransferred to Panjang port in Bandar Lampung, Sumatra.<\/p>\n
The first strike protested, among other things, next year's
\nplanned cutback of workers on the grounds of efficiency, which
\nwould affect 20 percent of the 1,200 temporary workers. The
\ntemporary workers are employed by state port operator Pelindo II
\nbut were assigned to JICT until March 27, 2001.<\/p>\n
The planned reduction, Irma said, was the main reason for the
\nprotest. The majority stakeholder is Hong Kong business group
\nHutchison Whampoa, which through its company Grossbeak, owns 51
\npercent of JICT, while Pelindo II has 49 percent.<\/p>\n
"The status of our employment is not clear, while the
\nmanagement could still transfer any worker who protests them,"
\nsaid Irma.<\/p>\n
"Based on the contract with Pelindo II and JICT, the
\nmanagement can't transfer any of the temporary workers who have
\nbeen hired until March 27, 2001," Irma said.<\/p>\n
Irma said Pelindo II, the state port operator with shares in
\nJICT, had agreed to cancel the transfer of its nine temporary
\nworkers.<\/p>\n
However Pelindo II refused to comment, including on whether
\nthe decision to reduce 20 percent of temporary workers remains in
\neffect.<\/p>\n
Through the planned transfer of the nine union executives,
\nIrma said, "the management is trying to crush the union."<\/p>\n
In the Friday strike, which led to a build up of thousands of
\nunloaded containers, the workers also demanded higher wages and
\nan end to the "discriminatory" treatment of workers by
\nexpatriates, for instance in regards to work loads.<\/p>\n
Pelindo II's chief commissioner, Aries Cashiered, only said
\n"We are still considering this problem."<\/p>\n
JICT did not confirm its losses during the one-day strike but
\nIrma said the company earned some US$8 million a day.<\/p>\n
The cancellation of the transfer of the nine workers, Irma
\nsaid, was partly due to pressure from Minister of Transportation
\nand Telecommunications Agum Gumelar, who had made promises to the
\nunion that workers would not be transferred.<\/p>\n
Irma charged that empty promises were made on the part of the
\nmanagement, regarding such issues as training for workers and new
\nequipment. (07)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tanjung-priok-port-strike-ends-situation-returns-to-normal-1447893297",
"image": ""
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