Police refuse to intervene in hostage situation

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

As of Thursday afternoon, about 500 workers of a South Korean company producing Targus computer bags still held their Korean boss and his family hostage while the police took no action to release them, saying that it was an internal conflict.

The workers of PT Hyunsung Indonesia had taken them hostage on Monday after Joe Yong Seun announced the closure of the company, which is located on Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jatiuwung, Tangerang.

Jatiuwung police deputy chief First. Insp. Sunardi told The Jakarta Post that they were not taking any action against the workers because it was an internal dispute between the workers, who were fighting for their rights, and their employer.

"However, we continue to monitor their activities, and everything has gone well so far, with no violence," he said.

The workers, mostly women, said that on Monday they were told to cease work as the company was closing down.

Yong Suen had planned to disburse severance pay of as much as one month's salary, while the workers had demanded that the severance pay be in accordance with ministerial decree No. 150/2000. The decree stipulates that the severance pay for a worker depends on their working period. For example, a worker who has been employed for more than one year but less than two should receive twice their monthly salary.

Buaman, chief of the workers welfare division at the municipal manpower agency, said that he received reports about the company's closure from the labor union on Tuesday.

He told the Post that the agency could not summon Yong Suen because the workers' had prevented him from leaving the factory.

He said he could understand why the workers did not allow their boss to leave the office because the workers, thinking of the immediate future, were afraid that he would flee and leave them in uncertainty.

His officials were also studying the company's accounts to ascertain whether it was true that the company had suffered losses as reported.

Unfortunately, Yong Suen could not be reached for comment. When the Post called his office, the call was taken by a man who claimed to be his employee and who said that his boss was unwilling to take any phone calls.

The workers said that they were paid the monthly regional minimum wage, Rp 590,000 (US$65).

"Mr. Joe Yong Seun said he only had Rp 100 million for a total of 560 workers, to be disbursed as severance pay," 27-year-old Anita, a quality control employee, who had worked for the company since it was opened in July 2000, said.

Chairman of the company's labor union Ismail was still busy negotiating with the boss, according to Kubi Sumiyanto, a security officer.

All workers had pledged that they would not let their Korean boss leave the factory compound until he agreed to give them fair severance pay.

A worker, Juana, said workers would allow their boss and his family to leave the factory as long as several workers escorted them everywhere they went.

"We are not taking the boss and his family hostage; we just fear that if we let them leave the factory they will not come back and then who will be responsible for our severance pay?" she said.