PPD bus drivers strike because of fund dispute
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)