RCTI workers seek Rp 13b compensation

JAKARTA (JP): Thirteen employees of RCTI filed a lawsuit on Monday against the management of the private television station at the West Jakarta District Court, demanding Rp 13 billion (US$1.9 million) in compensation from the station for prohibiting them from setting up a workers' union.

The employees -- none of whom are from the news department -- also asked that the station pay them Rp 51.5 million to cover material losses.

The workers said the Rp 13 billion compensation was for immaterial losses caused by the company's refusal to acknowledge their union, which they had registered at the Ministry of Manpower.

The union chairman, Anton L.R., accompanied by lawyer Johnson Panjaitan from the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association, said they also wanted the court to annul RCTI's decision that freed the 13 people from their jobs in March.

"We still receive our monthly salaries but we have no jobs," Anton said.

"We therefore asked the court to seize buildings and all objects at the station on Jl. Raya Panjang, Kebun Jeruk, West Jakarta, as a guarantee while the lawsuit is examined by the court," Anton said.

Lawyer Johnson said RCTI had violated the law by prohibiting its workers from establishing a union.

"Our state Constitution, manpower regulations and the International Convention on Labor Unions all state the right to set up a workers' union," Johnson said.

RCTI's executives could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

According to Anton, the management refused to acknowledge the workers' union because the management was not consulted about plans to establish the union.

"There is no need to ask the management for permission to set up such a workers' union," he said.

He said the station had dismissed at least 77 employees since February this year in the name of efficiency, the result of a sharp drop in income because of the prolonged economic crisis.

In May, the station shocked many by replacing the entire board of directors.

Harry Kuntoro, an executive at PT Bimantara Citra, the station's holding company, and Nenny Soemawinata, former general manager of private television station ANteve, were then installed as RCTI's president director and director respectively.(jun)