Laid-off journalists to file lawsuit

JAKARTA (JP): Employees of Forum Keadilan weekly newsmagazine said on Thursday that they planned to file a lawsuit against the board of directors following the management's decision to lay off 25 staff members, including nine senior journalists.

Sen Tjiauw, one of the magazine's editors, told a news conference at the Legal Aid Institute (LBH)'s office that the management did not explain in detail the decision for the layoff but disclosed that the employees were laid off because they held "a secret meeting in Cibubur, East Jakarta".

Sen Tjiauw said that the 25 employees, including himself, held a meeting in Cibubur several days ago to find a way to save the magazine's future amid sluggish business. "There was nothing secret about the meeting as we informed our deputy chief editor Tony Hasyim, who had also given his approval," he said.

The other 24 employees were also present at Thursday's news conference. They were accompanied by lawyers from LBH and the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) as well as private lawyers, such as Hotma Sitompul, Moh. Djafar Assegaf, Tommy Sihotang and Lutfi Yazid from the office of Yusril Ihza and Mahendra.

"On Aug. 20, Rahmat Ismail, the president of PT Forum Adil Mandiri, which publishes the magazine, along with Tony and our chief editor Noorca M. Massardi, held another meeting at Rahmat's house in Simprug, South Jakarta. They also invited other employees who had not attended the Cibubur meeting.

"During the meeting they decided to lay us off for six months and to cut our monthly salaries in half," Sen Tjiauw said.

He disclosed that the company was in financial trouble due to mismanagement over the last two years. Despite the problems, however, shareholders were reluctant to invite new investors.

"The stance that management has taken only shows that they do not have good intentions for the company's future. If they were really bankrupt, just declare it," Sen Tjiauw said.

Rita Olivia of LBH expressed concern over the fate of the local journalists, who, she said, had been fighting for their rights for a long time but were forced to submit to the shareholders' authority.

Contacted separately, Forum chief editor Noorca Massardi said that the dispute between management and its employees was an internal matter. He further said that it was the employees' right to take legal action.

"We have no comment on the issue," Noorca told The Jakarta Post. (tso)