Fired PTDI workers take case to apes
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Frustrated by the indifference displayed by legislators and officials to their plight, workers from state-owned PT Dirgantara Indonesia brought their case to the monkeys on Monday, spending the night near the Ragunan Zoo in Jakarta.
Hundreds of laid-off workers from aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) traveled by motorcycle from Bandung, West Java, to Jakarta on Monday to protest the company's mass lay-offs.
Instead of stopping at government offices, the workers headed for the zoo.
"It is useless to meet and negotiate with people who do not possess a conscience or logic. It is much better for us to meet with monkeys and apes," rally coordinator Toto Siswantoro was quoted as saying by Detikcom in Bandung on Monday.
"It is clear that these monkeys and apes will not be able to provide us a solution, but at least they can make us happy and will listen to our aspirations," Toto said.
PT DI announced in July that it would shut down for six months and temporarily lay off its almost 10,000 workers with pay. A rescue plan approved last month for the hugely indebted company involves the permanent dismissal of 6,000 workers. As expected, most of the workers oppose the plan.
The workers have conveyed their complaints to the House of Representatives and held a series of talks with the manpower and transmigration ministry and the management of PT DI, but to no avail.
The Bandung State Administrative Court had ruled against the dismissal of the workers, However, despite protests from the workers, President Megawati Soekarnoputri announced on Monday the dismissal of the 6,000 workers would go forward.
It was agreed during a limited Cabinet meeting on Monday that the government would provide minimum severance pay for the workers, in accordance with Law No. 13/2003 on labor disputes.
The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) will provide US$50 million to cover the severance pay. The agency will take assets from the company as collateral for the money.
IBRA chairman Safruddin Temenggung said on Monday the President ordered the agency to provide a loan to the company should the severance pay cost more than the value of the assets.
"The debt will be an obligation the future shareholders of PT DI will have to repay in a loan scheme. But it will not be too much as we cannot afford it," Safruddin said.
Safruddin said earlier that IBRA would not offer the company more than $50 million because that was the value of the company's assets.
He said talks between Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea and the workers on Tuesday would resolve the amount of severance pay to be delivered.
The government has asked the police to provide security for the meeting, while the dismissal process continues at the ailing company.
"The National Police must guarantee that the dismissals will not cause further security disturbances," Safruddin said.
PT DI was involved in assembling various European-made helicopters and Spain's CASA aircraft, as well as producing parts for several international aircraft manufacturers.