Textile company workers oppose mass dismissals<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Seven hundred workers dismissed at short notice
\nfrom their jobs with the Bekasi-based textile producer PT Pusaka
\nBuana Raya intend to fight the company's management for a more
\njust settlement.<\/p>\n
The employees, who have each worked for the firm for between
\nfive and 20 years, visited the National Commission on Human
\nRights on Monday in search of support for their cause.<\/p>\n
Farid Mu'azd, a lawyer representing the workers, said that the
\ncompany's president Ridwan Lesmana asked his factory manager to
\nstop production on Nov. 25.<\/p>\n
"The management said that the firm had been forced to stop
\nproduction because orders had dried up as a result of the
\neconomic crisis," Farid from the Indonesian Workers Legal Aid
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the firm had offered one month's salary to each worker
\nas severance pay -- between Rp 200,000 (US$26) and Rp 300,000 per
\nperson.<\/p>\n
However, the workers wanted severance pay equivalent to four
\ntimes their monthly wages, he explained.<\/p>\n
"In hard times like this, severance pay equivalent to one
\nmonth's salary is not enough," Farid said.<\/p>\n
He said the workers were also angry that the dismissals had
\nbeen announced without the management first discussing the matter
\nwith them.<\/p>\n
Jamhari, who worked for the company, said the permanent
\nclosure of the factory was announced at 1 p.m. on Nov. 24, while
\nmany employees were still on their shifts.<\/p>\n
"We were shocked by the announcement. We were asked to take
\nour severance pay and stop working the next day," Jamhari added.<\/p>\n
He said that 500 workers were dismissed last year after two of
\nfive production lines in the factory were shut down.<\/p>\n
He revealed that many of the workers dismissed last year had
\nsubsequently been reemployed in the firm's cleaning services
\ndivision.<\/p>\n
Early last month, the firm's cleaning service workers staged a
\nprotest against alleged mistreatment outside the Bekasi office of
\nthe Ministry of Manpower, he added.<\/p>\n
"We don't know why, but suddenly the firm announced that the
\nfactory was going to be closed down because there were no orders.
\nWe do not believe that is the real reason," he said.<\/p>\n
Company executives could not be reached for comment on Monday.<\/p>\n
Human rights commission members Joko Soegianto and Soegiri
\npromised the workers they would raise the matter with the
\ncompany's directors and the relevant government officials.<\/p>\n
The workers visited the House of Representatives en route to
\nthe commission's offices. Twenty five representatives of the
\nworkers were received by members of the ruling Golkar faction.
\n(jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/textile-company-workers-oppose-mass-dismissals-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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