Workers protest against violation of agreement
TANGERANG (JP): Hundreds of workers from a suitcase manufacturing company went to Tangerang City Council yesterday to protest against their company's alleged failure to honor a wage agreement.
The protesters, who arrived at 9 a.m. bearing placards, claimed that instead of sticking to a deal between workers and the company, PT Adi Santosa Abadi (PT ASA), they were fired without consultation.
Under the arrangement -- signed by Tonny Sukarto, human resources manager of the firm, and 12 representatives of the workers on Oct. 15 -- the company agreed to pay the October wage of Rp 172,000 (US$49.10) for each permanent worker and Rp 126,000 for each hired one, a protesters said.
The company also agreed to continue paying the workers while the plant was being rebuilt, the protester, who did not want to be named, said.
The company's plant was gutted by fire mid last month.
"In reality, however, the company, through its lawyer, asked us to sign a statement that the workers agreed to two months of wages and we were told we could no longer work for the company."
Santo, another protester who has worked for the company for five years, said: "If the company wants to dismiss us, it should have discuss the plan with us first."
An official, from the Tangerang office of the manpower ministry, said that if the company wants to change the contents of the agreement, it has to discuss it with the workers.
And if the company planned to dismiss all the workers, it has to get approval from the manpower minister via the manpower disputes settlement committee, he said.
Sixteen workers were chosen yesterday to represent the hundreds of workers and convey to the city councilors the group's grievances.
The meeting between the workers and councilors was monitored by Maman and Lili Suhaemi from the Tangerang office of the Ministry of Manpower.
Yusuf Makatita, one of the councilors who met with protesters, pledged to search for the best solution to the problem.
"That's your right and the company has to abide by the agreement it reached with the workers," he said.
The company's management will meet again with workers today. (41/04)