PPD bus drivers strike because of fund dispute

JAKARTA (JP): Almost all bus drivers from the state-run City Bus Company (PPD) went on strike on Friday, following a long dispute about unpaid insurance and pension funds allocated for some 5,500 employees of the company.

Some 600 buses remained in the six bus depots since 5 a.m. and the drivers refused to travel their route until their demand for the insurance and pension funds are meet by the management of the company.

Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Abdul Kahfi said the city administration had anticipated the strike and started to deploy buses from other bus companies from 7 a.m. to take over the route, and avoid passengers being stranded.

"Some bus companies, such as Damri, Mayasari Bakti and Steady Safe were prepared to take over the route so the situation in the streets is still under control and the city administration hoped the company could settle the problem soon," Kahfi said.

Kahfi said the city has anticipated the strike since Oct.1 so everything went smoothly during Friday's strike.

PPD's President Director Anton Sudarto resigned on Thursday following the unsolved dispute as he promised the employees that he would resign on Sept. 29, if he could not distribute the insurance money from the Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry of Finance delayed the fund because the board of management used some Rp 6 billion of insurance funds from the ministry to pay for PPD's debts and a streamlining program within the company.

Kahfi said although PPD is one of the vital transportation providers of the capital, the city administration cannot take over or interfere in the dispute as the company is a state-run company (not city-run company as reported earlier) under the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunication.

"The city cannot take over the management. As you know it is not easy for the city to takeover a company belonging to the state," Kahfi said.

"However, ahead of the implementation of regional autonomy in 2001, the bus company, along with seaport and highway management will be controlled by the city administration," he added.

City Hall Control Center for Social Disturbances Chief Raya Siahaan said the City Land Transportation Agency will ensure that there are enough buses to serve the public and no passengers will be stranded because of the strike.

Raya said there are 148 buses from Mayasari Bakti Company on stand by at the Kampung Rambutan terminal, 42 buses from Steady Safe Company at the Lebak Bulus terminal, 32 buses from Himpurna Company at Kampung Melayu terminal and Damri, another state-run bus company, provided 50 buses at Pulo Gadung terminal.

"The buses ran every route from those terminals from 7 a.m. onwards and every passenger was taken to their destination," Raya said.(dja)