Sony defends decision to fire workers
BEKASI (JP): The management of PT Sony Electronics Indonesia (SEI) defended on Friday its decision to dismiss 928 employees, who have been involved in a protracted strike since April 26, 2000.
The company's administration manager Lessy S. Pujiastuti said the decision was final and that the management would not permit the striking employees to work again at the company.
"The decision (to fire the workers) has already been taken. And we have to immediately restore the company to its pre-strike condition," Lessy said.
"The workers will have to vacate the company premises by the end of this month."
The striking workers have been squatting in the locker rooms at the company's plant at Block B-1, MM 2100 Industrial Complex, Ganda Mekar, Cibitung, Bekasi, since April 26.
The company's assistant manager for corporate planning Abdullah Saleh Sanad said the company would soon recruit new employees to replace those dismissed.
Lessy said the company's decision to dismiss the workers was lawful as it had secured approval from the Central Committee for Labor Disputes Settlement (P4P).
"The P4P has allowed the management of PT Sony Electronics Indonesia to terminate its employment relations with the 928 employees concerned.
"The P4P has also confirmed that the 'standing operation' production procedure is a better and healthier work method," she said, while adding that the standing operation procedure had been used by other companies for years.
The approval of the P4P, which is under the supervision of the Ministry of Manpower, was issued through a ruling dated June 29, 2000. The ruling was received by SEI on July 5, 2000.
Lessy said the company had tried to settle the dispute internally, but to no avail.
"This is our final attempt. We will now leave the matter in the hands of the law," she said.
The company's finance manager Satoshi Kanenori said the prolonged strike had caused the company major losses as it had to close 10 of its 12 production lines.
Kanenori, however, declined the disclose the extent of the losses.
"It's company policy not disclose such matters," he said.
The company, which manufactures video compact disc (VCD) players and television sets, normally has an average daily production of some 4,000 units.
The P4P's decision to allow SEI to take such action, however, was strongly rejected by the employees.
An official of the Indonesian Metal Workers Union's branch at the company, Judy Winarno, 30, said on Friday that the committee's ruling was unfair.
"The ruling was issued after an informal meeting between the company and the P4P without involving us (the workers union)," Judy told The Jakarta Post at the company's plant in Cibitung.
"It's likely that the company has colluded with the P4P," he said.
Judy said the P4P had earlier announced that the strike had been conducted in accordance with the procedures stipulated in the labor laws.
"How could they later claim that our strike was unlawful?" he said.
Instead of allowing SEI to dismiss the striking employees outright, the committee ordered the company to pay the employees separation pay and to pay 100 percent of the termination process fee until June 2000 to them.
The company is also obligated to pay compensation for loss of annual leave and medical and housing allowances, as well as long- service pay.
Judy said the strike was triggered by the change in the company's work system from a sitting to a standing operation.
One of the striking employees, Alifah Chomaedah, 25, said the management had been treating the workers arrogantly.
"One day, a male employee went to the toilet without asking permission. A Japanese expatriate (a member of management) kicked the toilet door open and found that the man was actually 'doing his business'," she said.
Alifah, who claimed to have been working since the plant started its operation in May 1991, said she was paid Rp 387,000 (US$43) per month, plus an attendance allowance of Rp 19,000 per month and a Rp 2,100 transportation allowance per day.
Judy said the employees sent a letter to manpower minister Bomer Pasaribu on Friday to seek his help in settling the dispute.
"We asked the minister to veto the P4P decision," Judy said, while adding that they also went to the House of the Representatives (DPR) on Thursday and met with the Commission VII on population and welfare affairs.
The commission had promised to question the P4P about the decision.
"We want the company's management to allow us to return to work and to improve working condition for its employees," Judy said. (08)