Labor strike paralyzes aircraft manufacturer
Labor strike paralyzes aircraft manufacturer
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung
A labor strike involving more than 8,000 workers again affected
the country's only state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT
Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) in the West Java capital of Bandung
on Monday.
The workers are demanding the replacement of the company's
board of directors.
Operational activities at the plant were paralyzed due to the
protest organized by the company's Employees' Communication Forum
(FKK) led by Arif Minardi.
The protesters accused the directors of being incompetent in
managing the company and of lacking seriousness to fight against
rampant nepotism, corruption and collusion there.
"It is clear that the board of directors have thwarted efforts
to resolve corruption, nepotism and collusion cases including an
investigation into one case that we submitted to the Bandung
prosecutor's office in March of last year," Arif said.
He cited reports that the local prosecutors were unable to
proceed with the case because many employees allegedly involved
in it simply refused to testify.
The protest started at 8 a.m. outside the company's Central
Management Building (GPM) with hundreds of employees joining in.
The number of protesters swelled hours later. Many wore red
headbands, carrying posters and banners critical of management.
Some banners carried slogans demanding that all the directors
resign.
However, some workers admitted they were forced by organizers
to participate in the strike. "I was surprised when some people
entered my work area and told me to go out only a few minutes
after I arrived there. I didn't know what was going on," an
employee in the technology division said.
FKK activists also closed the technology and technical
divisions after ordering employees there to leave.
However, they failed to close the GPM office because PT DI
President Director Jusman S. Djamal refused to leave the
building's ninth floor, where he was working.
"I will continue to work. What do you want?," he challenged
labor activists who told him to join the strike.
It was the first strike to take place this year. Workers of
the aircraft firm had gone on strike on Oct. 2 last year
protesting the management's sluggishness in eradicating corrupt
practices in the company.
The October action coincided with the arrival of Minister of
Defense Matori Abdul Djalil, who witnessed the handover of two
BO-105 helicopters from PT DI to the Indonesian Navy, represented
by Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Indroko Sastrowiyono.
All activities were halted for several hours at the company,
which was founded by former president B.J. Habibie.
The protesters at the time demanded that the management make
real and concrete steps to fight corruption.
Last June also, the employees went on strike demanding better
pay, higher allowances and the eradication of corruption in the
company.
In December 2001, the management and employees'
representatives signed a 13-point agreement in a meeting brokered
by Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea, under
which the company would raise the workers' salary and improve
their allowances.
However, Arif said on Monday that the management failed to
fulfill all the agreements, particularly their promise to
eradicate nepotism, collusion and corruption in the company.