Striking workers cripple Priok container terminal

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)