Shangri-La employees fined US$2m

JAKARTA: The South Jakarta District Court ordered seven former employees of the five star Shangri-La hotel to pay some US$2 million in compensation for the losses they were accused of causing during their demonstrations against the hotel's management last year.

They were also required to issue a written apology to the management in five national newspapers, namely Kompas, Suara Pembaruan, Bisnis Indonesia, Jawa Pos and The Jakarta Post.

The seven accused were Halilintar Nurdin, Adeng Surachman, Valentinus Wagiyo, Edy Hudiyanto, M. Zulrachman, Isep S. Mubarok and Hemasari Dharmabumi.

"The accused were proven guilty of intimidating the hotel's management," presiding Judge IDG. Putra Jadnya told the court.

On Dec.22 last year, the accused, in their capacity as leaders of the Shangri-La Jakarta Independent Labor Union (SPMS), led their members to stage a protest against the hotel's management after their demands, including improvements to worker welfare and freedom of speech, were ignored.

They then went on strike, erected posters specifying their demands, gave speeches and blockaded the hotel.

Their lawyer, Johnson Panjaitan, said that they would appeal to a higher court. --JP