Garment factory workers strike

JAKARTA (JP): About 600 workers of a garment factory in east Depok went on strike yesterday, demanding their wages which have been suspended for the last three consecutive months.

The strike started at 7:15 a.m. on the grounds of PT Busan Surya Jaya on Jl. H. Dimun.

According to the workers, most of whom are women, the company's management had broken their promises many times to pay the employees.

"They have often pledged that they would pay us soon, but they have yet to do so," said one of the protesters.

The management, for instance, had set Nov. 5 as the workers' payday but have postponed it several times, said the on-strike workers.

The protesters also wanted their employers to meet the local minimum wage of Rp 5,700 per day and provide sufficient overtime pay.

The workers said some of their fellow employees were still paid only Rp 4,800 per day, while the highest pay rate was Rp 5,850 per day.

The employees vowed that they would continue the strike until their demands were met.

An executive of the firm, Hay Zen Kim, was quoted by Antara as saying that the company was unable to withdraw its deposits at a bank, causing the delay of payment for the workers.

Kim, however, refused to comment further whether or not the bank was one of the 16 ailing private banks recently closed down by the government.

The company is not the only firm in the country which is facing financial problems following the liquidation of the 16 banks and the monetary crisis.

A group of security force members were seen on guard around the factory complex yesterday. (bsr)