Garment workers seek council's support

Garment workers seek council's support

JAKARTA (JP): At least 250 employees of sock manufacturer PT
Nagamas Busana Tama went to the City Council on Tuesday seeking
support for their union, which has not been recognized by the
company's management.

Wearing black shirts and headbands, the workers arrived in
four buses and unfurled posters denouncing the company's
management.

The union's secretary, Juariah, said the Independent Workers
Union (SPM) was established on Nov. 5 but had not been recognized
by the firm, which operates on Jl. Kamal Muara in North Jakarta.

"The firm even established a rival union last month instead of
recognizing us," Juariah said.

She said the new union, affiliated with the All-Indonesia
Workers Union, was chaired by Sugeng Simamora, a commissioner of
the firm.

She also claimed the firm's management filed a police
complaint against her and SPM chairman Maulana in a bid to
suppress SPM.

Juariah also maintained that at least 85 percent of the firm's
total 550 employees were members of SPM, which is affiliated with
the Indonesian Metal Workers Union.

In a campaign to win recognition for SPM, the employees have
been on strike since Feb. 26.

The strikers also are demanding that the raises they received
be made retroactive to January. The government raised the monthly
minimum wage to Rp 426,000 effective as of the beginning of this
year.

Juariah said workers only received the raise in February, and
were paid the old minimum wage of Rp 344,000 in January.

The chairman of City Council Commission E for social welfare,
Edy Suchro, who met with representatives of the workers,
contacted members of the firm's management.

In a telephone conversation, Simamora told Edy the firm
refused to recognize SPM because it was affiliated with a metal
workers union, which was not suitable for a garment firm.

Simamora said management was willing to meet with the strikers
to discuss their demand that their raise be made retroactive to
January.

Representatives of SPM responded by saying its affiliation
with the metal workers union did not interfere with SPM's
activities. (jun)