Workers protest against violation of agreement
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)