'RCTI' staff seek legal advice over dismissals
JAKARTA (JP): Three employees of privately owned television station RCTI visited the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute on Wednesday, representing 80 disgruntled colleagues in seeking legal counsel on their planned dismissal.
Institute lawyer Christina Rini, who met with representatives Antonius, Lia and Ferry, said the employees strongly opposed the management's dismissal plan because no clear reason was provided.
The employees are the first batch to be dismissed in the station's plan to cut up to 30 percent of its workforce.
Rini said the employees deplored the management's decision to convey notices by courier on Tuesday night, requesting their presence at Apartemen Kuningan in South Jakarta on Wednesday to sign letters of resignation prepared by RCTI lawyer Amir Syamsuddin.
"The employees rejected complying with the invitation letters, which were not on RCTI letterhead," the lawyer said.
According to Rini, the television station management announced on Feb. 17 it would dismiss at least 30 percent of its employees, including reporters and cameramen, in stages beginning on March 1.
The announcement did not state the precise number of employees to be dismissed, but Rini quoted the employees as saying RCTI would fire 400.
RCTI public relations manager Eduard Depari said on Friday the station planned to lay off from 20 percent to 30 percent of its 620 regular employees effective on March 1, pending manpower ministry approval.
In its notice, Rini said, the management promised severance pay and other compensation to employees in accordance with manpower regulations.
"The management will also give golden handshakes worth Rp 5 million to each of the employees and other incentives to those who agreed to resign today (Wednesday)."
The management claims it discussed the dismissals with the employees several times, she said.
But employees countered the assertion was untrue because management only discussed the plan on Feb. 8, Rini said.
Staff members rejected the notice of dismissal as the management broke past promises there would be no layoffs, she added.
RCTI management contended layoffs were needed because of plummeting ad revenue of about Rp 90 billion, she said.
"With the dismissal of its 400 employees, the station could save Rp 5 billion in their spending," she quoted the employees as saying.
Eduard could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
On Friday, he said the station was forced to enact cost-saving measures in all aspects of its operations, but still could not avoid resorting to layoffs.
He added that political uncertainty also contributed to the decision.
Late last night, one of the employee representatives visiting the institute, Antonius, told The Jakarta Post that the station's executives held an abrupt meeting with staff later on Wednesday.
He said employees agreed to confidentiality on the matters discussed.
"All I can say is that there is a good sign from the board of directors about our fate."
Separately, lawyer Amir Syamsuddin said on Wednesday his office decided not to serve as counsel for the station in its dispute with employees.
"It would represent a conflict of interest because I earlier supported the establishment of the Indonesian Television Journalists Association," Amir said. (jun)