Workers file complaint rights body

JAKARTA (JP): Thirty eight workers from two textile factories met with members of the National Commission on Human Rights yesterday to complain about unfair treatment by their employers.

The workers were employees of PT Rajabrana and PT Ever Shinetex Garment.

"We told the companies that they have violated our rights as laborers. They did not respond, instead they treated us unfairly afterwards by reducing our working hours, suspending us from the job, and forcing us to leave the company without reasonable severance pay", said one of the workers.

Problems between the workers and the companies came to a head after the factory employees demanded that their holiday bonuses be paid and taxes on their salaries exempted.

Prior to the meeting with the commission members, the workers had referred their grievances to the government-recognized All Indonesian Workers Union representatives at their factories. But they felt the union gave them unsatisfactory answers.

One of the workers said that they had also filed their complaints with the Manpower Ministry's provincial office in Bogor, but all to no avail.

Sugiri, a member of the commission, accepted their complaint and said that the commission would look into the case after detailed information had been received from all sides.

"We accept the complaint and will go through with it. In line with the regulation, the commission will first try to get balanced information from all sides." Sugiri added.

Commenting on the issue, a staffer of Shinetex told The Jakarta Post yesterday that in fact the company agreed to fulfill the demands of the employees but needed some time to do so.

The management of PT Rajabrana was not available for comment. (03)