14 companies to stand trial

TANGERANG: The head of the Tangerang Manpower Agency, Apon Suryana, said on Saturday that 14 companies would soon stand trial for violating Law No. 13/2003 on manpower.

"The companies have allegedly ignored the basic rights of workers, such as by not paying social security insurance or overtime as well as by failing to provide severance pay in massive dismissals," he explained.

However, Apon refused to reveal the names of the 14 industrial firms as his office had yet to hand the cases over to the police.

He called on workers to report companies that ignored their rights to his office.

"We only have 10 monitoring officers, which is not enough to control more than 2,000 firms in Tangerang," he said.

Banten Workers Union leader Agus Puji Raharjo voiced doubt over the agency's intention to prosecute companies who abuse workers' rights.

"The agency has long failed to protect workers," he remarked. -- JP

;JP;MLT; ANPAj..r.. Greater-teachers-protest Teachers complain over unpaid salary JP/8/

Teachers complain about unpaid salaries OR Teachers lament unpaid salaries

TANGERANG: Substitute teachers working at hundreds of elementary school in Tangerang regency since June last year claim they have not received their salaries.

Mulyadi, who works in Mauk district, said some colleagues had received four-month pay packages.

They received Rp 1.84 million (US$216.4) for their June- September salaries, and another Rp 1.84 million for November through February.

Doddy, a teacher in Pamulang, said he had received a total of Rp 3,680,000 just last month.

"They paid me for only eight months even though I've been working nine months. They forgot to pay my October salary," he said.

Mulyadi said 5,600 substitute teachers had repeatedly demanded an explanation from the regency's Education Agency but had been ignored.

Banten Education Agency secretary Hisyam implied there had been problems with dispersing their salaries simply because it was the first time the agency had recruited substitute teachers.

"We are still waiting for the disbursement of funds from the Ministry of National Education," he added. --JP