Workers stage protest over threat of mass dismissal
Workers stage protest over threat of mass dismissal
JAKARTA (JP): Around 20 employees working at the foreign garment firm PT Duta Busana Dinastri in Kemandoran, South Jakarta, went to the Ministry of Manpower yesterday to protest the management's threat to dismiss them and another 50 employees.
The workers asked to meet with Director for Labor Standards Amrinal to help solve the labor disputes at the company, only to discover that Amrinal was absent.
"We need nobody but Mr. Amrinal to help save us from a mass dismissal," said Anthon of the Jakarta Social Institute (ISJ), as several police officers tried to drive them out of the ministry's compound.
"You have no authority to drive us out of here because we came here to fight for our rights," said Rofiq, one of the protesters, pointing his finger at police officers who persuaded them to go away.
Sri Yani, another protester, reiterated that 70 of the company's workers were facing dismissal. "The company's management has continuously urged us to resign by setting April 30 as a dead line to submit a letter of resignation," she said.
"We have been threatened that when the deadline passes, we will not receive a one-month severance payment offered by the company," she added.
She said she and her colleagues would never abide by the management's threat and demanded permanent employment at the company instead.
"The management has no reason to fire the workers. Besides having to get permission from the central board for settlement of labor disputes (P4P), the management has also to pay a three- month severance pay for each of them," he explained.
He said the management also tried to pressure another 70 female workers to quit last year. When they didn't, they were fired.
The company owner, Stevan Lie, and its production manager, Dewi, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Meanwhile, Doddy, an officer at the South Jakarta manpower ministry office, told The Jakarta Post that his office would check into the dispute.
"But we want to check on why the management plans to fire the workers," he said, adding that his office is ready to help mediate and seek a peaceful solution.
Doddy reiterated that the management is not allowed to fire the workers without permission from P4P and must pay three months in severance pay if the company is forced to. (rms)