Timber workers on hunger strike to press for payment
Timber workers on hunger strike to press for payment
Rusman, Samarinda, East Kalimantan
At least nine of the thousands of striking timber workers in
Samarinda began a hunger strike on Wednesday, to press their
demands for their April and May salaries.
The hunger strikers have camped out in front of the main gate
of the East Kalimantan governor's office here, after the workers
earlier picketed in front of their company buildings. The strike
began two weeks ago and on Tuesday they kidnapped two company
executives and are still holding them hostage.
The workers mostly come from plywood companies, Kalimanis
Plywood Industry (KPI) and Santi Murni Plywood (SMP).
Giartini, one of the hunger strikers, vowed that the hunger
strike would continue until the workers' demands were met.
"The government must show an interest in the fate of the
workers," she said.
The hunger strikers also include at least one prominent labor
figure, Ismed Soeryo from the East Kalimantan Indonesian Labor
Struggle National Front (FNPBI).
Before going on the hunger strike, they assembled at the
governor's office at 10 a.m. local time and demanded a meeting
with the governor.
A jostle ensued between the governor's security guards and the
nine strikers who tried to push their way through. Two SMP
employees reportedly fainted. They were not allowed to see the
governor as the security men prohibited them from entering the
compound.
The disgruntled workers explained that the hostage-taking and
hunger strike would not have happened if the two Hong Kong-based
timber companies located in Selili, Samarinda had paid the
workers their salaries.
The companies have reportedly not paid salaries to over a
thousand workers because the plywood business was severely
depressed. Negotiations between the firm's management and the
workers have been held, but no clear solution has been reached.
In a recent negotiation meeting between the workers'
coordinating team and Wahyudi Manaf, a representative from PT KPI
and PT SMP, the companies proposed that the workers would only be
paid Rp 500,000 (US$58.00) per person, because the companies were
short of money.
"In fact, the workers' salaries range from Rp 800,000 to Rp 1
million per month," said Benny Patty, one of the protesters.
In the meeting, it was then decided that the companies would
pay Rp 500,000 to each worker, with the understanding that their
salaries would eventually be paid in full.
The first part will be paid later this week, and further talks
are scheduled to discuss the remainder of the money.
As of Wednesday, Wahyudi, the operations manager and his
assistant Bonar Sianturi, were still being held hostage in KPI's
human resources department office. Benny said they would only be
freed when the workers' were paid all the money they were asking
for, said Benny.
In an FNPBI press release, workers in the entire province were
urged to strike en masse to demonstrate worker solidarity.
Ismed Soerya, the chairman of FNPBI and one of the hunger
strikers, also lashed out at the foreign companies and accused
his own government of colluding with them to oppress the workers.
"The people are still being oppressed by the economic and
political systems practiced by autocrats who believe more in
capital strength than the power of the people," Ismed explained.