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.