Bank workers protest payments

Bank workers protest payments

JAKARTA (JP): At least 500 former employees of liquidated
banks urged the government on Monday to help settle lingering
severance pay problems.

The protesters demanded to talk with Coordinating Minister for
Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita and
representatives of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency
(IBRA) to discuss a "fair and realistic solution to the problem".

The protesters, who were led by field coordinator Ibnu Sina,
however, failed to meet Ginandjar as he was attending a Cabinet
meeting at the State Palace, Antara reported.

The former bank employees demanded earlier that those with a
monthly salary of Rp 500,000 or less be given severance pay worth
6.5 months and others with a monthly salary of Rp 6.5 million or
more be given a severance pay of 3.5 months' wages.

IBRA decided in April that those with a monthly salary of Rp
500,000 or less be given 3.25 times the amount and others with
salaries of Rp 5 million or more would get 1.1 times the amount.

According to IBRA, 1,500 former employees of four of the
liquidated banks have agreed to the decision.