Verdict on bank row postponed

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Administrative High Court postponed Wednesday a verdict on a dispute between the management and union of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Corporation.

It was the second postponement since the trial was scheduled to reach a verdict on July 11, 1997. But presiding judge Fatimah Achjar said both parties had one more chance to make a compromise between them.

On April 17, 1996, more than 200 Hongkong Bank employees went on strike protesting what they said was a stall on discussions of an extended collective labor agreement. The management then dismissed 189 employees.

On July 22 the Central Committee for the Settlement of Labor Disputes (P4P) had ruled that Hongkong Bank's management should rehire workers and give them back pay.

The case went to trial and employees won at the South Jakarta District Court, after which the management appealed.

The trial was adjourned until July 9.

But Fatimah said the second postponement would be the last.

"The court expects that in two weeks both parties will reach an agreement, because if they don't, we'll reach a verdict," she said. (12)