Workers ask for help from rights body<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Sixty workers, who have been on strike for four
\ndays, lodged their grievances yesterday with the National
\nCommittee on Human Rights.<\/p>\n
The employees of packaging factory PT Maxpos Prima in
\nTangerang, West Java, asked the commission to reprimand the
\ncompany for not paying attention to workers' demands, which they
\nperceived to be a violation of human rights.<\/p>\n
Their demands include that the company enroll workers in a
\nsocial security program, that it pays the official minimum wage,
\nas well as recognize workers' seniority and pay long-time
\nemployees higher rates.<\/p>\n
The workers who waited for four hours before they were
\nreceived by the commission told The Jakarta Post that they are
\npaid only Rp 3,900 (US$1.75) per day and receive Rp 4,000 for
\neach medical consultation.<\/p>\n
Representing 100 workers from the styrofoam division of the
\ncompany, the strike which begun on Tuesday is the third the
\nworkers have staged. The first strike on Apr. 8 involved all 500
\nworkers.<\/p>\n
The second strike was on May 14.<\/p>\n
Samsir, a spokesman for the workers told the Post that workers
\nare relying on the commission to solve their problems.<\/p>\n
\"None of us want to prolong this, we want to negotiate but the
\nmanagement won't talk to us,\" Samsir added.<\/p>\n
The workers did not seem to fully understand the mission of
\nthe commission.<\/p>\n
\"You need to understand that we are just a mediator body, not
\na court whose legal procedures justify their orders,\" Soegiri
\npatiently told the uneasy workers.<\/p>\n
Soegiri said the commission will, however, investigate the
\nworkers' claims.<\/p>\n
The workers also asked that the commission advise the factory
\nnot to dismiss them for striking.<\/p>\n
The workers said they had no choice but to turn up for work
\ntoday. Company rules stipulate that workers who are absent for
\nfive consecutive days without notice are considered to have
\nresigned.<\/p>\n
Samsir said he and 17 other workers have been dismissed for
\nallegedly instigating unrest among workers and being involved
\nwith the unrecognized workers' union, the Indonesian Prosperous
\nLabor Union.<\/p>\n
When the factory was contacted by the Post, a woman said that
\nno workers had been fired. She refused to comment any further.
\n(14)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/workers-ask-for-help-from-rights-body-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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