Bank employees complain to legislators
Bank employees complain to legislators
JAKARTA (JP): Twenty-five HongkongBank employees have filed a
complaint with the House of Representatives over a deadlock in
negotiations with the bank's management.
The negotiations reportedly concern differences regarding the
Collective Labor Agreement.
The employees resorted to reporting to the House owing to
discontent over actions taken by the management during a strike,
which started last Wednesday.
More than 200 of their fellow workers were on strike at the
World Trade Center on Friday, sitting around and holding up
banners. The bank, however, operated as usual with around 150 of
its contract workers.
The employees said they would continue their strike today.
The 25 delegates told the four legislators of the Golkar
faction at the House on Friday that the management had locked all
doors to the bank's departments, the prayer room, and the All
Indonesia Workers Union office on Thursday.
"Worst of all, the management locked 35 staffers in a room
from 9 a.m. to noon yesterday without toilet facilities,"
Ugianto, the head of the union, said on Friday.
The workers complained that three pregnant women who had to go
to the toilet had suffered unduly because they could not get out
of the room. The workers added that nobody could get out until
after someone called the police.
"We have been too patient all this time, but their actions can
no longer be tolerated," Ugianto said.
The workers have been on strike since Wednesday, after they
and the management failed to reach agreement on the Collective
Labor Agreement in the latest negotiations mediated by the
Ministry of Manpower.
The workers striking at the bank said on Friday they would
remain on strike until the management meets their demands, which
are an 8.9 percent general salary increase and better medical
allowances, housing loans and pension fund.
So far general salary increases have been given once every two
years, with the amount being negotiated.
Despite dozens of talks with the management and Ministry of
Manpower officers since January, none of the workers' requests
have been met by the management.
The bank's public relations manager, Leila Djafar, said on
Friday that the management would not increase their salaries
because "their wages are at the highest standard among all banks
in this country".
"As stated previously, the management will give them a 15
percent to 16 percent increase each year based on the inflation
rate and the worker's performance appraisal, not a general salary
increase," she said.
She acknowledged that the management locked the room on
Thursday, but denied knowing that 35 of the striking employees
were inside.
She said that because negotiations with Ministry of Manpower
are still going on, the management regards the strike as illegal.
"We are waiting for input from the manpower ministry on what
to do next on the basis of our last tripartite meeting on
Wednesday," she said.
Legislator Ben Messakh said on Friday that the House would
soon hold a meeting involving the workers, the management and
ministry officials to discuss the matter. (03)