3,000 workers on strike to demand two months' pay

3,000 workers on strike to demand two months' pay

Rusman, Samarinda

Up to 3,000 workers from two plywood companies in Samarinda, East
Kalimantan, continued their strike on Monday to demand that the
firms pay their salaries for the last two months.

Police arrested at least two unidentified men for pointing a
traditional dagger at a protest leader during the strike at PT
Kalimanis Plywood Industry (KPI) and PT Santi Murni Plywood
(SMP).

The strike started two weeks ago, bringing work at the two
companies, which are owned by the Hong Kong-based Shine Hill
Limited, to a halt.

"We are just seeking certainty as to when our salaries will be
paid. The workers are not asking for anything else," said Benny
Putti, a representative of the protesters.

He said the companies, located in the Selili area, had
continued to make empty promises to pay their workers.

"Most of the workers have families and must pay the school
fees of their children. In addition, they have also run up debts
with food stalls and have to pay their house rents.

"Please take note of our fate. People should not be treated as
slaves," Benny said.

Benny and other representatives of the protesting workers were
received by Wahyudi Manaf, the operational affairs head of the
two companies.

Wahyudi admitted that the workers' salaries had not been paid
for two months as the companies had failed to achieve their sales
targets.

The firms had targeted the sale of at least 7,000 sheets of
plywood per month but had managed to sell only between 4,000 and
5,000 sheets of plywood per month, he said.

This had affected production costs, he said.

"Apart from that, a timber shipment had experienced delays,"
he added.

However, Wahyudi said the management had agreed to pay the
workers Rp 1.5 billion (US$166,666) as a stopgap measure until
they were paid their salaries.

Each of them would receive Rp 500,000, although they were
entitled to salaries of between Rp 800,000 and Rp 1 million each
per month.

"The money will be distributed to the employees this week. As
regards the reminder of what they are due, this will be discussed
by their representatives and the management to decide on how it
can be paid," Wahyudi said.

Monday's protest was marred by a minor clash when two
unidentified men pointed a traditional dagger at Ismet, the
leader of East Kalimantan branch of the Indonesian Workers
National Struggle Front (FNPBI), who was accompanying the
protesters.

The strikers later attacked the two men, beating them with
sticks. The two were taken by police to a station in Samarinda
after the incident, which took place at around 10:30 a.m.

A policeman who tried to protect the two men was also
attacked.

"If the men had not been protected by us, they could have been
killed by the emotional mob," said Samarinda Ilir Police chief
Adj. Comr. Bharata, who was at the scene.