Workers stage protest over unclear status<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Over 70 workers of Tangerang-based spinning
\ncompany PT Putra Indah Makmur (PIM) staged a protest at the
\nMinistry of Manpower yesterday over their unclear status.<\/p>\n
They demanded that they be allowed to meet with Minister of
\nManpower Abdul Latief to directly inform him of their grievances
\nand to ask for his help in resolving their conflict with the
\nfactory's management.<\/p>\n
\"We have not been allowed to work for more than a year, since
\nwe refused to be transferred from the firm's spinning division to
\nanother division,\" said 32-year-old Ismanto, a representative of
\nthe protesters. Ismanto said that none of the protesting workers
\nhad ever received notice from the management that their
\nemployment had been terminated.<\/p>\n
Over 150 workers refused to carry out the transfer order in
\nDecember 1993, out of fear that it would result in a drastic cut
\nto their daily wages, Ismanto said. He added that in the spinning
\ndivision, they had earned daily wages of between Rp 6,000
\n(US$2.72) and Rp 8,000 each, far higher than Rp 4,000 at the new
\ndivision.<\/p>\n
In January 1994 the workers brought the case before the local
\nTangerang manpower office's board for the resolution of labor
\nconflicts but, a year later, no decision has been announced.<\/p>\n
\"We are afraid that the local manpower office has accepted a
\nbribe,\" the representative said.<\/p>\n
Ismanto, accompanied by two other workers, was finally allowed
\nto hold talks with an official of the ministry, Basuki. In the
\nmean time the other protesters gathered at the front of the
\nbuilding, holding banners declaring \"Tangerang local manpower
\noffice is impotent\" and \"PT PIM ignores its workers\".<\/p>\n
They demanded the management choose one of two alternatives:
\nemploy them again or fire them with three-month's separation pay.<\/p>\n
Ismanto, a former officer of the All Indonesian Workers Union
\nunit at the company, said the labor union, whose chairman is also
\nthe personnel manager of the company, had done nothing to end the
\nconflict.<\/p>\n
He said that working conditions at the company were very poor
\nbecause the management did not respect the workers's rights.<\/p>\n
\"Overtime work, for example, is not paid, and transportation
\nand health allowances are not provided. Moreover, the role of the
\nworkers union is engineered in such a way as to make it
\nsubservient to the management,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ismanto said that most protesters wanted the company to
\nformally fire them but to give them separation payment.<\/p>\n
Riyaat, another protester, said that the prolonged conflict
\nhad damaged the workers' lives.<\/p>\n
\"Many families have been forced to divorce and many others
\nwill follow because of quarrels that have resulted from the
\nabsence of an income,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"We are determined that the company give us separation
\npayment,\" said Arif, another protester, who admitted that he had
\nbeen forced to sell his pet cocks to pay for his trip to the
\nministry office.<\/p>\n
Basuki, an official of the ministry, told the protesters that
\nhis ministry would instruct the Tangerang manpower office to help
\nsettle their problem as soon as possible. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/workers-stage-protest-over-unclear-status-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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