Labor dispute settled
<p>Labor dispute settled</p><p> JAKARTA (JP): The employees and management of PT Duta Busana
Danastri garment factory have agreed to abolish the controversial
night shift system that the company introduced as a subtle way to
kick out protesting workers.</p><p>The company also agreed in a meeting sponsored by the National
Commission on Human Rights on Saturday not to dismiss the
protesting workers. </p><p>No less than the commission's secretary general, Baharuddin
Lopa, and a high ranking official of the Ministry of Manpower,
Amrinal, mediated the meeting between nine labor leaders, three
legal representatives of the protesters and two managers and a
lawyer for the company.</p><p>In a related development, the management denied that its
prominent customer, the San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co,
the manufacturer of Levi's and Dockers clothing, had formally
stopped placing orders with the Jakarta-based PT Duta Busana
Danastri.</p><p>"We're sure that Levi Strauss is not reckless enough to break
our relationship. And we're sure that Levi Strauss will examine
the problem objectively," vice-chairwoman Elliani Sapta Dewi
said, referring to the recent statement by the jeans giant which
stated that it has decided to terminate its contract with PT Duta
Busana.</p><p>According to Lopa, both sides were satisfied with the progress
made at the two-hour meeting, adding that the next round of talks
would be held at the company's office.</p><p>"The commission and the ministry, however, will lend a helping
hand in case the negotiations wind up deadlocked," he said.(09)</p>
Danastri garment factory have agreed to abolish the controversial
night shift system that the company introduced as a subtle way to
kick out protesting workers.</p><p>The company also agreed in a meeting sponsored by the National
Commission on Human Rights on Saturday not to dismiss the
protesting workers. </p><p>No less than the commission's secretary general, Baharuddin
Lopa, and a high ranking official of the Ministry of Manpower,
Amrinal, mediated the meeting between nine labor leaders, three
legal representatives of the protesters and two managers and a
lawyer for the company.</p><p>In a related development, the management denied that its
prominent customer, the San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co,
the manufacturer of Levi's and Dockers clothing, had formally
stopped placing orders with the Jakarta-based PT Duta Busana
Danastri.</p><p>"We're sure that Levi Strauss is not reckless enough to break
our relationship. And we're sure that Levi Strauss will examine
the problem objectively," vice-chairwoman Elliani Sapta Dewi
said, referring to the recent statement by the jeans giant which
stated that it has decided to terminate its contract with PT Duta
Busana.</p><p>According to Lopa, both sides were satisfied with the progress
made at the two-hour meeting, adding that the next round of talks
would be held at the company's office.</p><p>"The commission and the ministry, however, will lend a helping
hand in case the negotiations wind up deadlocked," he said.(09)</p>