500 dismissed workers demand reemployment

JAKARTA (JP): More than 500 dismissed and laid-off workers from 21 companies in Greater Jakarta staged a demonstration at the Manpower Ministry compound yesterday, demanding reemployment.

"We realize that our companies are facing economic difficulties. But we are sure the managements are still capable of reemploying us despite the economic crisis," said Yanti Mala Dewi, coordinator of the demonstrators, who called themselves the Coalition of Greater Jakarta Workers (KBJ).

"We are hungry and badly in need of jobs to meet our daily needs. We have our families to feed," a demonstrator screamed out.

Besides demanding reemployment, the demonstrators also insisted on revision of the new labor law, which is considered to limit workers' rights, the halting of military intervention in industrial disputes and freedom of association.

"The law, which does not include any single statement on the establishment of new labor unions, should be amended soon in line with the current reform era," Arum, a former employee of garment company PT Great River International, said.

Under escort by dozens of security officers from the Jakarta Military Command, the demonstrators refused to disperse until their demands were met.

"We will spend the night here until the government and the company managements meet our demands," Yanti said.

She urged Manpower Minister Fahmi Idris to pay serious attention to their fate by summoning representatives of the managements to discuss the reemployment requests.

Arum also urged the manpower minister to remind Great River not to continue its plan to fire around 3,000 other workers.

"The (dismissal) plan should be canceled because it will certainly lead the workers to create unrest and worsen the economic condition," he said.

Ministry of Manpower's secretary-general Suwarto, who received the demonstrators' representatives, was still awaiting the 21 companies' managements to hold negotiations with the workers.

Ariest Merdeka Sirait, coordinator of the Institute for Social Sciences and Legal Institute (Sisbikum) which organized the demonstration, told The Jakarta Post that despite the reform era, the military was still interfering in industrial disputes.

"If the government wants to create industrial harmony, military interference should be halted and the government should encourage bipartite, or tripartite, negotiations between workers, the managements and the Ministry of Manpower to solve disputes," he said.

He cited as an example that a man representing the workers of PT Butterfly in Pulo Gadung, East Jakarta, was still missing after attending negotiations with the East Jakarta military district over mass dismissals at the factory recently. (rms)