Workers' sit-down protest stops traffic<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 1,500 laid-off workers of cookie producer
\nPT Mayora staged a sit-down action in front of the Ministry of
\nManpower in South Jakarta on Tuesday to back their demand for
\nhigher severance pay.<\/p>\n
They traveled to the ministry on Jl. Gatot Soebroto from their
\ncompany's two factories on Jl. Telesonik in Jatiuwung district,
\nTangerang, and Jatake industrial estate in Bitung district,
\nBekasi.<\/p>\n
The protest, which started at 2 p.m., caused a heavy traffic
\njam along the major thoroughfare. Two vehicle passengers died in
\na traffic accident near the protest site in the early evening.<\/p>\n
Worker representative Ferry Indrayanto said the protest was
\nplanned since April 20 after a dispute arose over a wage hike.<\/p>\n
Ferry said the workers' demanded a 30 percent increase in
\ntheir wages.<\/p>\n
\"The company insisted on raising the wages only by 18
\npercent,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Other demands included increase in their daily meal allowance
\nfrom Rp 1,000 to Rp 4,000 and for a guarantee that the company
\nwould pay the workers' income tax, he said.<\/p>\n
Discussions with representatives of the company eventually
\nbroke down and Mayora fired 1,400 workers on April 31, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Now we have been fired, we are demanding severance pay
\namounting to two times our monthly salary,\" Ferry said, adding it
\nwas in line with manpower regulations.<\/p>\n
Ferry said the company insisted on only paying one month's
\nsalary to each laid-off worker.<\/p>\n
\"Where else can we seek justice except from the manpower
\nminister?\" he said.<\/p>\n
Before they headed to the Ministry of Manpower, the workers
\ngathered outside the company's factory gate in Tangerang at 8
\na.m. The gate was tightly guarded by about 100 security
\npersonnel.<\/p>\n
The workers left the factory site for the Ministry of
\nManpower, continuing their journey despite being briefly stopped
\nby security personnel.<\/p>\n
They met with workers from the other factory in Bekasi at the
\nMinistry of Manpower at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n
They resorted to the sit-down after they were prevented from
\nentering the ministry's compound.<\/p>\n
Tension increased after three security personnel dragged out a
\nworker at 4 p.m.<\/p>\n
A war of words also erupted between the protesters and
\npassersby who were angry at being inconvenienced.<\/p>\n
Bus passenger Rospita shouted at the workers to allow the
\nvehicle to pass through.<\/p>\n
The protesters refused to budge.<\/p>\n
Kirjo, a Citra taxi driver, told the workers their protest
\ndisrupted his livelihood. \"We are all the same, we are all poor
\npeople. But, please give me a way to earn money easily.\"<\/p>\n
The workers also sat in on the toll road in front of the
\nbuilding.<\/p>\n
They moved closer to the Ministry of Manpower gate and pledged
\nto stay there until they could meet with Minister of Manpower
\nFahmi Idris.<\/p>\n
Tragedy struck, however, when workers surged forward in the
\nearly evening despite the presence of dozens of police officers.<\/p>\n
Two men died from their injuries after falling from an open
\nvan when the vehicle came to a sudden halt near the protesters at
\nabout 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
The dead were identified as Mohamad Soleh, 34, a resident of
\nKoja in North Jakarta, and Emin, 45, a resident of Cibitung,
\nBekasi.<\/p>\n
Their bodies were taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital
\nfor autopsy. (asa\/41)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/workers-sit-down-protest-stops-traffic-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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