PT Sinintama agrees to pay allowances

PT Sinintama agrees to pay allowances

JAKARTA (JP): Workers at a garment factory in the West Jakarta
village of Tegal Alur ended a strike yesterday after officials
from the Manpower Ministry intervened.

"The end came after we intervened in the dispute," R.L.
Sihite, head of the West Jakarta Ministry of Manpower office told
The Jakarta Post yesterday.

Around 300 workers of PT Sinintama Garmentindo, not PT
Garmenindo Industry as reported on Friday, had been on strike
since Wednesday.

An investigative team from the ministry visited the factory
yesterday.

"About half of the 300 workers returned to work yesterday. The
rest had agreed to resume working on Monday," said Sihite.

Among the workers' demands were Idul Fitri allowances,
overtime pay, menstruation leave and being paid the minimum wage
of Rp 4,600 per day.

"We prioritized on paying workers their Idul Fitri allowances
because it is their right," said Sihite.

He added that the factory management had promised to pay the
allowances on Tuesday.

His office will take PT Sinintama to court should it fail to
pay the allowances, he said, since it would be a violation of
government regulations.

The office would deal with the workers' other demands after
the allowances had been paid to the workers, he said.

Manpower Minister Abdul Latief has instructed companies to pay
Idul Fitri allowances by Feb. 6.

None of the company's managers were available for comment
yesterday. (14)