Workers' sit-down protest stops traffic
JAKARTA (JP): About 1,500 laid-off workers of cookie producer PT Mayora staged a sit-down action in front of the Ministry of Manpower in South Jakarta on Tuesday to back their demand for higher severance pay.
They traveled to the ministry on Jl. Gatot Soebroto from their company's two factories on Jl. Telesonik in Jatiuwung district, Tangerang, and Jatake industrial estate in Bitung district, Bekasi.
The protest, which started at 2 p.m., caused a heavy traffic jam along the major thoroughfare. Two vehicle passengers died in a traffic accident near the protest site in the early evening.
Worker representative Ferry Indrayanto said the protest was planned since April 20 after a dispute arose over a wage hike.
Ferry said the workers' demanded a 30 percent increase in their wages.
"The company insisted on raising the wages only by 18 percent," he told The Jakarta Post.
Other demands included increase in their daily meal allowance from Rp 1,000 to Rp 4,000 and for a guarantee that the company would pay the workers' income tax, he said.
Discussions with representatives of the company eventually broke down and Mayora fired 1,400 workers on April 31, he said.
"Now we have been fired, we are demanding severance pay amounting to two times our monthly salary," Ferry said, adding it was in line with manpower regulations.
Ferry said the company insisted on only paying one month's salary to each laid-off worker.
"Where else can we seek justice except from the manpower minister?" he said.
Before they headed to the Ministry of Manpower, the workers gathered outside the company's factory gate in Tangerang at 8 a.m. The gate was tightly guarded by about 100 security personnel.
The workers left the factory site for the Ministry of Manpower, continuing their journey despite being briefly stopped by security personnel.
They met with workers from the other factory in Bekasi at the Ministry of Manpower at 2 p.m.
They resorted to the sit-down after they were prevented from entering the ministry's compound.
Tension increased after three security personnel dragged out a worker at 4 p.m.
A war of words also erupted between the protesters and passersby who were angry at being inconvenienced.
Bus passenger Rospita shouted at the workers to allow the vehicle to pass through.
The protesters refused to budge.
Kirjo, a Citra taxi driver, told the workers their protest disrupted his livelihood. "We are all the same, we are all poor people. But, please give me a way to earn money easily."
The workers also sat in on the toll road in front of the building.
They moved closer to the Ministry of Manpower gate and pledged to stay there until they could meet with Minister of Manpower Fahmi Idris.
Tragedy struck, however, when workers surged forward in the early evening despite the presence of dozens of police officers.
Two men died from their injuries after falling from an open van when the vehicle came to a sudden halt near the protesters at about 7 p.m.
The dead were identified as Mohamad Soleh, 34, a resident of Koja in North Jakarta, and Emin, 45, a resident of Cibitung, Bekasi.
Their bodies were taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital for autopsy. (asa/41)