Striking workers cripple Priok container terminal

JAKARTA (JP): Some 100 Tanjung Priok dock workers went on strike on Friday, leaving the usually hectic North Jakarta port deserted and thousands of containers unloaded.

The protesters, who work at the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT), staged a rally in the parking lot of the company's headquarters at 10 a.m.

They demanded the company cancel the transfer of nine temporary workers to its other unit in Pelindo II, one of JICT's shareholders.

They considered the transfer of the workers, who are mostly union executives, to be related to a strike at the docks in May.

Friday's strike was also held to protest Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa which has, since April, held 51 percent of the company's stakes through its firm, Grossbeak Ltd.

State-run Pelindo II now owns 49 percent.

The workers vowed to continue the strike should JITC fail to meet their demands.

They also complained about working conditions, saying under the new management they worked during national holidays without extra pay.

"They just care about production," Ermanto Usman, a union spokesman, said.

He said that apart from himself, the other eight workers transferred were Sumadi, Abdul Malik Lahamadhi, Abdul Razak, Budi Prasodjo, Arief Witjaksono, Irma Suryani, Idris Bagindo and Achmad Syarifudin.

"According to the contract, the management can't transfer us. We've been hired until March 27, 2001," said Ermanto.

He said there had been an agreement assigning the 1,200 Pelindo II workers to work at JICT for two years.

Ermanto said the union had sent letters to the management saying the workers did not want to be transferred. None had been replied to, he added.

The workers also said the transfer of management was "not transparent."

JICT and Pelindo II management could not be reached for comment. (07)