Korean family in Tangerang taken hostage by workers

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

About 500 workers from PT Hyunsung Indonesia, a South Korean company that produces Targus computer bags, are holding their Korean boss and his family hostage following his announcement on Monday that the company would close.

The workers pledged that they would not let the company's director, Joe Yong Seun, leave his office until he agreed to give them fair severance pay. His wife and two children, who live in a house in the factory compound, have not been allowed to leave either.

When The Jakarta Post visited the factory on Jl. Gatot Subroto in Jatiuwung, Tangerang, on Wednesday, the workers, mostly women, were gathered near the factory gates. Some were lying in the shade under trees listening to dangdut music, while dozens of others were sitting near the security guard post. There were no police officers present.

"We have been here since Monday to make sure that the company leader remains in his office," Erlan, 23, who has worked at the factory for two years, said.

Erlan said the company did not give prior notice about its plan to shut down the factory.

"Seun only told the workers on Monday that the company was closed and that workers were not allowed in the factory. There were no reasons or explanation. He only said that workers would be given one month's salary as severance pay," he said.

Sarti, another worker, said the company exported three containers of computer bags to the U.S. on Saturday.

"But on Monday, workers were suddenly told not to work. Isn't it very strange?" she said.

Ismail, the chairman of the company's labor union, said the company must provide workers severance pay of twice their monthly salary, as stipulated in Ministry of Manpower Decree No. 150/2000 on worker dismissals.

He said the workers were paid the monthly regional minimum wage, which is Rp 590,000 (US$65).

"We are still trying to negotiate with the boss about the amount of severance pay," he said.

He said that the workers did not ask much and urged the company to pay attention to the destiny of the 500 workers.

Two security guards from the company prevented the Post from meeting with Seun for comment, saying that the situation was too tense.

One of the guards, Joko, added that the workers were also preventing Seun from seeing his wife and two children.

Yeny, a worker who is pregnant, said she did not know how she would afford the hospital costs for her birth after losing her job at the factory.

"I'm used to losing jobs, but this time I need money for my baby's birth. The company leader cannot go until he gives us assurance on our severance pay," she said.

Roisah, 42, who has operated a food stall near the factory since it opened in 2000, said the factory's closure would put her out of business.

"All of my customers were factory workers. Now that it is closed I will also have to close," she told the Post.

Earlier this month, 7,000 workers from PT Doson, a Nike shoe manufacturer on Jl. Raya Legok in Tangerang, were laid off when their factory closed after Nike stopped placing orders with the company in June. Dozens of PT Doson workers who have not received severance pay are still picketing outside the factory.