Abrupt company closure leaves 400 jobless

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

About 400 workers at the PT King Stone Indonesia factory on Jl. Raya Serang in Balaraja district, Tangerang regency, are in the dark about their future after the management closed down the factory without notice.

"The factory was closed down on Jan. 31 but none of the workers were informed in advanced," Sukrismas, head of the factory's union, told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

The workers staged a rally at the regency manpower agency, asking for help mediating a settlement with the factory.

One of the employees, Achmad, told the Post there were no hints the factory was closing, with business as usual at the factory all the way up to Jan. 31.

"None of the workers realized that Jan. 31 was our last day of work. We just wondered why we got our salary that day (Saturday)," he said.

Achmad recalled that the factory doors were closed when the workers returned to work on Feb. 3, following the three-day Idul Adha (Islamic Day of Sacrifice) weekend. However, no announcements were posted announcing the factory's closure.

The workers have continued to come to the factory, unsure how to proceed because they have been unable to contact company officials for an explanation.

Achmad said it was unclear why the factory had closed. He claimed that he heard people say factory director Whu Ming Chi had already returned to his home country Taiwan.

"Since the factory was established in Pasar Kemis district 12 years ago and then relocated to Balaraja in 1999, the workers have never gone or strike or rallied because the management always honored our rights," he said.

No manpower agency officials were available for comment.