Shoe factory workers go on strike
Shoe factory workers go on strike
TANGERANG (JP): Some 4,500 employees of a shoe factory in
Balaraja have gone on strike and staged a noisy protest in their
factory compound to demand their annual Idul Fitri bonus and
holidays.
The employees of PT Tae-Hwa Indonesia (THI) on Jl. Raya Serang
which produces Fila and Langford footwear threatened to continue
their massive strike unless the management met their demands.
"We want the company to pay us the same amount of THR (Idul
Fitri bonus) as in previous years, and exclude the Idul Fitri
holidays from the regular annual holidays," one of the protesters
said in a statement during the Monday's rally, which started at 8
a.m.
The protesting workers also demanded no reduction of their
bonuses, a significant rise in their meal allowances,
menstruation leave for female workers and the reactivation of the
factory's health clinic.
"If our demands are not met, we'll stay on strike," one of the
female workers yelled to the crowd.
After a series of negotiations held between the
representatives of workers and the management, almost all of the
workers' demands were finally granted by the company, which had
just received the ISO 9002 certificate.
According to the head of the company's human resources
development M. Jazuli, THI would for example give the workers the
same Idul Fitri bonus as last year and would hand it over to the
employees next week or at the latest a week before Idul Fitri.
"But the size of bonus would differ from one worker to
another, depending on their length of service," Jazuli said.
The bonus would be 100 percent of the salary for those who
have worked for one year, 225 percent for two years with the
company, and 325 percent for those who have worked for three
years and more, he said.
The company also agreed to increase the daily meal allowance
from Rp 1,000 to Rp 1,500 and to exclude the Idul Fitri holidays
-- this year from Jan. 16 through Jan. 23 -- from regular
holidays.
"We also promise to accommodate female workers with days off
as menstruation leave," Jazuli added.
The protesters greeted the management decision with loud
applause before peacefully dispersing. (41/emf)