Angry workers rampage over holiday bonuses

Angry workers rampage over holiday bonuses

TANGERANG (JP): Some 8,000 protesting workers from two
factories producing Nike shoes went on a rampage on Wednesday
afternoon, vandalizing seven cars in the parking lot of PT
Astra's Shoe Industry Division on Jl. Raya Serang in Balaraja,
Tangerang.

The group staged a massive protest beginning at noon to demand
larger holiday bonuses. The factories' management negotiated
throughout the day with representatives of the workers and an
official from the Ministry of Manpower.

"We want larger holiday bonuses and the 10 percent tax imposed
on the bonuses to be canceled," an employee, who requested
anonymity, said.

Holiday bonuses are given annually to the employees and
traditionally are equivalent to one months salary.

As negotiations dragged on throughout the day with no
agreement being reached, the situation became tense and the
workers began to pelt the factory with stones.

Seven vehicles -- three Toyota Kijang vans, a Suzuki Baleno
sedan, an Isuzu Panther van and two Daihatsu Espass vans -- were
badly damaged when they were pelted with stones and overturned by
the workers. Several factory windows were also broken in the
incident.

Dozens of police officers were deployed to secure the factory
and prevent the fray from spreading.

The protesters also demanded a fair and democratic election be
held to select a labor union leader.

"The current union caretakers are not able to voice our
aspirations. We also want the company's chief of staff to resign
because he has failed to carry out his job properly," one of the
employees said.

Workers threatened to continue their protests until their
demand were met.

As of Wednesday afternoon negotiations were ongoing. "We hope
to announce the results soon," said Marbun, an official from the
Ministry of Manpower.

Not far from the PT Astra factory, a group of 700 workers from
PT TYM Nusantara staged a protest on Tuesday night.

The protest turned violent at about 9:30 p.m., with workers
vandalizing buildings, destroying office equipment and damaging
two cars -- an Opel Blazer jeep and an Isuzu Panther van. The
protest was called when 43 employees were allegedly laid off
without being properly compensated.

"They demanded fair treatment for their fellow workers and
refused to work until management met their demands," a security
guard at the factory said.

The factory's management was unavailable for comment. (41/edt)