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)