IPTN employees return to work
IPTN employees return to work
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of employees of state-owned aircraft
manufacturer PT IPTN in Bandung returned to work yesterday after
staging a strike since last Wednesday demanding better welfare.
Antara reported that the situation at the manufacturer's
compound had returned to normal. Workers were no longer seen
huddled together or standing before the "free speech forum"
erected in the lobby to vent their protest.
"Most have returned to their units, although not all have
started working," the news agency quoted some employees as
saying.
The compound was no longer plastered with posters, effigies
and white banners that last Thursday and Friday were unfurled in
protest over allegedly poor working conditions.
"Things are returning to normal," Antara quoted an
unidentified company spokesperson as saying.
Security officers stopped foreign and local reporters from
entering the complex, even if only to confirm information derived
from workers when they were still outside the compound.
Some workers said that IPTN president B.J. Habibie had agreed
to conduct yet another meeting this morning with the workers to
discuss their 14-point "Petition of Concern".
The petition is a list of demands that was delivered to
Habibie last Friday. The demands include the abolition of an
incentive for all employees, a 200 percent pay rise starting Oct.
1 and unlimited medical expenses for workers and their families.
The workers also demanded that the Foundation of Civil
Servants' Pension Fund be directly accountable to workers and
that its reports be audited by the public accountant.
They also demanded that promotion be based on a person's
achievement, not his or her relationship with the employers or
company executives. The workers also demanded the dismissal of
IPTN executives who have been proven guilty of manipulation and
collusion.
During the meeting Friday, Habibie said he sympathized with
employees' wage demands but said the company lacked the financial
resources to meet them.
While saying he understood the rising daily needs of his
employees, Habibie said it would be difficult to meet demands for
a 200 percent to 300 percent pay rise.
Three thousand employees of the aircraft company went on
strike Wednesday demanding a general improvement of welfare.
Habibie, who is also State Minister of Research and
Technology, said the company was already forking out Rp 25
billion (US$6.9 million) for maintenance and wages each month.
He said Rp 15 billion went toward the salary of IPTN's 16,000
employees while the rest was for paying electricity bills and
other maintenance costs. (swe)