Police still intervening in labor rows

Police still intervening in labor rows

JAKARTA (JP): The Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) in Surabaya said
that in 1995 the military in East Java continued to intervene in
labor disputes and suppress labor movements in direct
contravention of a government regulation.

According to LBH, of the 135 labor strikes that occurred this
year, police intervention occurred in 118 cases.

The interventions, LBH claims, took various forms, from
peaceful counseling to intimidation and the use of force.

"The security apparatus continued to use classic excuses in
which worker protests were considered disruptive to political and
economic stability," said Selma, the head of LBH's labor division
in Surabaya on Tuesday.

Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief in 1994 issued a decree
which ruled that the security apparatus must stay away from any
labor disputes.

One of the harshest and most obvious displays of force in
Surabaya occurred during two simultaneous strikes on Jan. 3 by
workers of PT Multi Manao Indonesia and PT Yosan Miky Sejahtera.

The demonstrations were put down in front of the local office
of the Ministry of Manpower by the Rungkut and Tegalsari police.

LBH said that other cases in which coercive methods were used
include the strike at Jombang's PT Maska Perkasa in October, when
security officials allegedly used unnecessary force to break up
the protest.

LBH claims that the police and military used excessive force
in subduing the demonstration. The Brawijaya military command has
refuted the accusations and taken LBH to court for libel. The
case is still pending.

The main cause behind the strikes of 1995 was the failure of
numerous companies to pay their workers the officially set
minimum wage level of Rp 3,700 (US$1.6) a day in the East Java
province.

According to a survey conducted by LBH, of 300 companies in
East Java -- 100 in Surabaya, 100 in Malang, 50 in Sidoarjo and
50 in Gresik -- 251 had in some way neglected or reneged on
paying the minimum wage.

Selma pointed out that many companies manipulated their salary
calculations by including transport and lunch allowances in
basic salaries.

She also revealed that female workers were often the target of
the injustices and the victims of pay cuts for taking menstrual,
sick and maternity leaves.

Based on the survey, most of the infractions occurred in
companies in the footwear industry, followed by plastics, pulp
and paper, steel and furniture.

LBH anticipates that in 1996 labor strikes are likely to
intensify with demands not merely centered on the minimum wages,
but on other standard requirements.

Selma stated that demands to establish independent unions,
other than the government sanctioned All-Indonesia Workers Union
(SPSI), will also become stronger.

"There will be other government agencies besides the Ministry
of Manpower which will become a target of worker demands," she
said. (15/mds)