Workers rally at S. Korea Embassy

Workers rally at S. Korea Embassy

JAKARTA: Dozens of factory workers demonstrated outside the
South Korea Embassy on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta on
Wednesday, and demanded that the embassy help them after
thousands were laid off by Korean companies and not paid as much
as they expected.

The workers, grouped in the Primary Work Labor Union (SBKU)
and the United Indonesian Labor Action (KASBI), said three South
Korean companies -- PT Hyun Indonesia Garmen, PT Bangju Kornesia
and PT Sarasa Nugraha -- dismissed since late July 796, 260 and
101,652 workers, respectively.

KASBI's secretary Beno Widodo claimed the companies had owed
the local workers more severance pay in accordance with
government labor regulations -- two month's salary for workers
who have worked between one and two years.

They also demanded employers to stop turning labor disputes
into criminal cases. Several union members have faced criminal
charges for conducting demonstrations, they said.

Four representatives were able to meet with embassy staff, but
it was not clear if anything was solved. -- Antara