Job termination

Attracted by the advertisement PT Petrosea placed in this daily, I sent an application letter to the company. After about two months I received a letter asking for an interview. I was twice interviewed by Anne Hogarth from Price Waterhouse Consultants. Afterwards I was asked to get a copy of the job offer, given a week to study it and asked to sign it. So I started my job as a corporate senior manager without any facilities whatsoever. Other managers of my level did have facilities. As a newcomer to the company, and therefore ignorant of the company's policies, I had to agree to the offer.

Then, to my great shock (as if being struck by lighting during a long drought), I was dismissed after 15 days and still in my probation period. The company was not obliged to give any reason for its actions. I began work on Aug. 14, 1997 and was terminated on Sept. 3, 1997.

My work contract, which was for an unspecified time, says: "Before..., This contract can be terminated either by PT Petrosea or by the employee with prior notice of 15 days to the other party..."

I worked five days a week. I am wondering why a company which has been around for 25 years and has 63.7 percent of its stock listed on the Jakarta and Surabaya stock exchanges (the remainder is owned by Australia's Gough Ltd), took such ridiculous action.

Another matter that violated the manpower law was that my salary as an employee for the time I was with the company was calculated on a pro rata basis for foreign personnel who were working on Business Visit Visas on projects across the country.

Apparently the lack of strict written regulations and Petrosea's inconsistency in complying with the law put me in a vulnerable position and caused me to be treated unprofessionally.

The company, which claims to be an equal opportunity employer, has resorted to discriminative acts.

AGUSTINUS EDI PURWANTO

Jakarta