Garment workers protest dismissals

JAKARTA (JP): Some 17 former workers of garment manufacturer PT Kemenangan Langgeng in North Jakarta visited the National Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday to complain about their dismissals.

The workers' spokeswoman, Atin, told commission member BN Marbun that the company dismissed them because they set up an independent workers union called the Independent Garment Labor Union on Oct. 1.

"To set up an independent workers union is our right. The company cannot fire us only because of that," Atin, who is also the union's chairwoman, said.

The workers, who were accompanied by lawyers from the FAS legal aid institute, set up a union because they were adverse to joining the government-backed All-Indonesia Workers Union (SPSI), she said.

The company offered the workers severance pay of Rp 200,000 (US$22.20) each, but they refused the offer, she said.

Marbun seemed unhappy with the presence of lawyers in the commission's meeting room and told them to leave, but one of the lawyers, Nikson, rejected the demand, saying that Marbun had no right to tell them to leave the room.

"I just want to talk with the workers," said the commission member, who promised the workers he would send a letter concerning the matter to the company.

The company's executives could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. A receptionist at the firm said there had been no dismissals from the company. (jun)