Strike ends after SPSI meeting

Strike ends after SPSI meeting

BEKASI, West Java (JP): The management of a diesel engine
manufacturing company in Cikarang has agreed to the demands of
200 of its workers following their two-day sit-in.

Rahmat Abdullah, a local secretary of the All-Indonesia
Workers Union (SPSI), said over the weekend the management of PT
Mitra Kusuma Sejahtera Industri had agreed to pay its workers
overtime and provide them with social security (Jamsostek) as
soon as possible.

"However the management said it would be better to set up a
union next year," he said without elaborating.

After the sit-in, which began Thursday, the workers reported
their strike to the local SPSI office. Then Rahmat met the
company's management.

Some of the workers complained they had to work more than
eight hours a day without proper overtime pay.

"If we do not work for a day our salaries are deducted by
about Rp 10,500 (US$4.4)," Sutomo said.

He said the salaries of workers who stayed at the firm's
dormitory were deducted by Rp 20,000 a month.

Abdullah said that companies employing at least 25 workers
were obliged to provide social security and pay overtime. Such
companies should also have a union, Abdullah said.

According to labor rules, he said, overtime should be paid if
employees work more than seven hours a day or more than 41 hours
a week. (kod)