Safari Dharma's crew stage protest

Safari Dharma's crew stage protest

JAKARTA: Dozens of Safari Dharma's crew members blockaded the
company's buses on its gate Monday morning in their demonstration
asking for a pay rise and better management.

The demonstration, which lasted until 2:00 p.m, caused the
company to postpone four bus departures, leaving about 120
passengers stranded.

Holding up their posters in front of the bus company's
headquarters, they presented 12 demands, including demand for
Idul Fitri and Christmas allowances, reemployment of dismissed
employees, and weekly holidays.

However, some of their colleagues refused to join the protest,
saying that the company has given them enough wage which, they
said, was higher than other bus companies.

At least one company of the police's elite mobile brigade,
headed by the Subdistrict Police Chief Herri Wibowo, was deployed
to disperse the protesters, and in anticipation of an escalation
of the protest.

Two employees and two activists from the SBSI (the Indonesian
Workers' Union) were detained and were accused of provoking the
workers to demonstrate.

Should the blockade continue until nightfall, then 700 would-
be passengers would be stranded.

The protesters said that they would continue their
demonstrations on Thursday if the company's management did not
listen to their demands. ---JP