Fired workers want more severance pay

JAKARTA (JP): At least 120 dismissed workers of PT Taat Subur Fortuna in Citeureup, Bogor, demanded on Thursday the company increase their severance pay according to existing manpower regulations.

Fourteen representatives of the workers visited the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute on Thursday to seek legal advice.

I. Wibowo, the workers' spokesman, said the company offered the dismissed workers severance pay amounting to 70 percent of their monthly salaries after the factory closed down in August last year due to the prolonged economic crisis..

"We urged the company to raise the severance pay to at least double the workers' monthly salaries as stated by manpower regulations."

He said the workers, who had worked at the company for at least eight years, earned between Rp 200,000 (US$22.20) and Rp 300,000 a month.

He said the Ministry of Manpower's Labor Dispute Arbitration Board, which handled the dispute between the workers and the company, decided in November last year to approve the dismissals, but ordered the firm to pay each worker severance pay equal to two month's salary.

The workers have frequently met with company executives to press their demand for more severance pay, but to date they have not received satisfaction from the company, he added.

Christina Rini, a lawyer at the legal aid institute, said on behalf of the workers she would invite company executives to the institute to discuss the problem.

"If the firm refuses to give the proper amount of severance pay, we will ask the Cibinong District Court to seize the firm's assets," Rini said.

Wibowo said management locked the factory's gates in January to prevent workers from entering the grounds.

Because workers cannot enter the factory, they just sit in front of the gates every day, he said.

"The workers have threatened not to leave the site until their demands are met." (jun)