'RCTI' postpones staff dismissals

'RCTI' postpones staff dismissals

JAKARTA (JP): Privately owned television station RCTI decided
to postpone planned dismissals following a meeting with employees
on Wednesday.

The station's public relations manager, Eduard Depari, said
the dismissals were postponed until an agreement could be reached
between management and employees.

"We agreed to postpone the layoffs after we talked with the
employees' representatives, who urged the planned dismissals be
canceled," Eduard told Antara on Wednesday.

He said that in the meeting, which was attended by Alex
Komara, the station's director of operations, the employees were
urged to understand the station's financial difficulties.

According to Eduard, dismissals were the station's final
option after struggling to survive the past two years amid the
economic crisis.

"We have put in place efficiency measures, including halting
the purchase of foreign films, temporarily capping salaries,
cutting the directors' salaries and giving no salaries to the
company's commissioners," he said.

However, Eduard said the station might dismiss 20 percent of
its 620 regular employees, not the 30 percent which had been
announced earlier.

Separately, five dismissed RCTI employees went to the Jakarta
Legal Aid Institute on Thursday for assistance.

Christina Rini, a lawyer at the institute, said an employee
from the station's inventory department was dismissed without
severance pay.

"We would like to invite management to discuss the matter,"
Rini told The Jakarta Post.

On Wednesday, three people claiming to represent 80 RCTI
employees also visited the institute seeking legal advice. (jun)