Golden Key Group workers laid off while boss stands trial

Golden Key Group workers laid off while boss stands trial

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of workers of petrochemical factories
owned by the PT Golden Key Group are hovering between fear and
hope as the owner, Eddie Tansil, stands trial for alleged
corruption.

On Monday, workers started to desert plants in Cilegon, a two
hour drive west of here, after the government moved to freeze
Tansil's bank accounts. The governments tactics have practically
crippled operations in the plants over the past couple of months.

The management laid off about 300 workers for two weeks
without severance pay on Monday. Antara reported yesterday that
most of the workers were from the operations department.

Golden Key Group personnel manager Farit Indro Santoso was not
available for comment.

"Farit has rarely turned up to the office since the payment
problem arouse two months ago," a worker said.

Those who believe that the Rp 800 billion (US$372 million)
project will someday be rescued took their plight to the House of
Representatives (DPR).

"This (lay-off) is a horrible blow to us, especially
considering that management has failed to pay our April and May
wages," said Masril, who along with a dozen others took their
complaint to the House.

Legislators from the Armed Forces (ABRI) and the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) factions rekindled their hopes, promising
they would ask the government to look into the problem.

House member Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said PDI will raise the
issue with the Attorney General's Office, the agency which is
handling the Rp 1.3 trillion ($620 million) corruption case
involving Tansil.

The workers' delegation told the ABRI and PDI factions they
were is desperate need of their wages and clarification of their
status.

Masril, who claimed to represent 200 workers of the group's
subsidiary PT Cilegon Multiwahana Service, said he had brought
the problem to the attention of relevant officials but his
efforts brought no result.

He said the workers were hopeful that the state-owned Bank
Dagang Negara Bank and BNI 1946 would eventually take over the
factories.

Of the several plants under construction, only PT Cilegon
Multiwahana Service and PT Hamparan Rejeki are nearing completion
and are ready for operation.

Delegation member Kamal urged the House to use its authority
and ask the minister of finance to authorize Bank Dagang Negara
to pay the employees' wages.

But, apparently, some employees are so desperate that they can
hardly wait for their fellows to go through channels in resolving
their problems.

Employee Busroni told journalists that many frustrated workers
are tempted to vandalize the plants to vent their frustrations.

"It's highly possible that angry workers will attack the
factories if the matter is not properly handled and security not
tightened," Busroni said.

No bus

Because of the financial complications, PO Maju has, since
Monday, withdrawn the 10 buses it leased to transport Golden Key
Group employees on the grounds that the company was unable to pay
the rent.

PO Maju's action forced employees residing in distant Merak
and Serang who relied on the buses to either scramble to find
their own means of transportation or simply miss work.

"We won't operate the buses until Golden Key pays the arrears
and renews the leasing agreement," PO Maju spokesman Hasan said.

So far, there has been no industrial action against Golden Key
despite the dispute.(pan)