Over 1,300 workers on strike

Over 1,300 workers on strike

TANGERANG (JP): Over 1300 workers of PT Supra Busana Yasa
marched to the City Council building on Tuesday, in protest over
what they claimed was unfair treatment by the company.

The protesting workers, mostly female, started walking from
the garment factory to the City Council building -- 15-km away --
at 8.30 a.m. The procession held up traffic for several hours.

Thirty-four workers representing their colleagues, were
received by councilors A. Saragih and Supardal from commission II
which oversees manpower affairs.

Then they were given the opportunity to talk to several
officials of the company.

The meeting was brokered by the Tangerang office of the
manpower ministry, some members of the regional board of the All
Indonesia Workers Union Federation (SPSI) and a number of
councilors.

The workers raised various complaints, including the high-
handed approach to dismissals by the management which they
pointed out was not in line with the existing regulations, and
the company's production target which they described as "overly
ambitious."

They also demanded that their meal allowances be increased and
that they be given two days of paid menstruation leave every
month.

Following lengthy discussions which lasted more than three
hours both the workers and the company's management finally
reached an agreement.

The management bowed to several of the demands, promising to
comply with the rules of the manpower ministry pertaining to
dismissal of workers.

The company promised to review the current meal allowances and
granted the demand that female workers be given the two days of
paid leave.

It also promised the production target would be reviewed and
reassessed in accordance with the number of workers available and
their capacity.(18/bas).