Hotel legal dispute drags on

Hotel legal dispute drags on

Despite pressure from the International Labor Organization for
the rehiring of some dismissed workers, the Shangri-La Hotel
management is insisting on awaiting the Supreme Court's decision
on its appeal.

"We will wait for the final court ruling," said Shangri-La
senior manager Wastu Widianto on Tuesday.

The ILO recommended in November 2001, and at its annual
session on June 21, 2002, that the Indonesian government speed up
the reemployment of those of the former workers who still wanted
to work in the hotel.

The ILO also recommended that the government investigate the
mass dismissal of hotel employees, and a physical assault on a
trade union leader.

The hotel dismissed more than 500 workers who staged a rally
in December 2000.

The Central Committee for the Resolution of Industrial
Disputes, as well as the State Administrative Court, allowed the
dismissals. But the State Administrative High Court overturned
the lower court's verdict.

The case is now before the Supreme Court.

Lawyer for the workers Johnson Panjaitan, who is also the
Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI)'s deputy
chairman, said the hotel should respond to the international
recommendation by resolving the dispute immediately.

"Otherwise, the international world will look unfavorably on
the Indonesian government," Johnson said, referring to the
government's failure to settle domestic problems. -- JP