Garment factory workers stage strike

Garment factory workers stage strike

JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of employees of PT Agung Busana Jaya, a
garment factory on Jl. Sinar Budi, North Jakarta, continued their
strike yesterday following the refusal of the company's
management for negotiations over a labor dispute.

"We'll go on striking if the company doesn't fulfill our
demands," said Susi Rahayu, 19, the spokeswoman for the strikers.
Workers began their strike last Monday.

Clad in their light blue uniforms, the strikers waved posters
and a banner which read: "Hello boss, please respect the
Indonesian law" and "Workers of ABJ demand better payment."

Susi said the strikers demanded their employers give them a
daily transport and food allowance of Rp 2,000 and to administer
the social insurance.

"They already pay the standard minimum wage, but it is not
enough for living in Jakarta," Susi said.

Yuzhar Tayang and Suresh Melwani, the president and production
manager of PT Agung Busana Jaya respectively told The Jakarta
Post yesterday that the strikers did not represent the majority
of the employees working in the company.

He said less than 50 of the 460 workers of PT Agung Busana
Jaya were involved in the strike.

"We negotiated with another group last year. The result was
not accepted by this group. Which group should we talk to?" he
said, admitting the company still has no trade union.

The Indonesian government rules every company employing more
than 25 workers must help the workers establish a state-sponsored
union.

Forced to work

Susi claimed her group could get majority support if foremen
do not forcibly grab striking workers and make them go back to
the production line.

"They also come at night and terrorize their colleagues into
participating in the protest," said Suresh.

Yuzhar also considered the strike unethical because they
staged it without trying to discuss the problem with management.

"We cannot discuss it with management because other co-workers
have tried already and they were dismissed," said Mulyani, 20,
another striker, referring to a few labor activists who were
fired from the company.

Mulyani also questioned management's handling of menstruation
leave. She said management makes it difficult for female workers
to take the two-day leave.

"We are asked to be present on the first day and sometimes
have to work. We practically only get one day leave," she said.

Suresh responded that the workers had abused the two-day leave
to avoid having to redo incorrect work.

"We are in a rush to export our products which makes us hire
other workers to do the repair work," he added.

Mulyani admitted a fellow laborer had behaved in this manner,
"But you cannot punish everyone because of one person's
behavior." (09)