Workers urge U.S. to lobby IMF on loans

JAKARTA (JP): More than 500 workers grouped in the transportation sector trade union (SPTI) staged a demonstration in front of the United States Embassy here yesterday, urging the U.S. government to press the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to immediately disburse pledged loans to help low-income Indonesians.

The workers, mostly bus drivers and ship crew members, sang patriotic songs as they held up banners urging the U.S. to take steps to ensure that the loan move forward.

Under the watchful eye of dozens of police and military personnel, the workers demanded to meet with the U.S. ambassador.

After intense negotiations, two embassy staff members agreed to receive five representatives from the workers.

Ch. David, chairman of the trade union, said they were not able to meet Ambassador Stapleton Roy, but were received by Richard Gong, a United States Information Service director, and Mark Hunter, the security attache.

"We lodged our petition and the embassy staff pledged to send it to U.S. President Bill Clinton," he said.

Separately, over 100 workers of Masterina ceramic factory in East Jakarta staged a sit-in protest at the Ministry of Manpower here yesterday to protest their employer's reluctance to raise wages.

"We will stay here until the management meets our demand," Burhanuddin, a worker representative, said.

He said the company's management refused to abide by an agreement made after an initial strike last month which stated that wages would be raised between 30 percent and 50 percent.

"In a tripartite negotiation which involved the ministry following the first labor strike last month, the management agreed to raise wages," he said.

Burhanuddin admitted that workers were already being paid in accordance to the government-set monthly minimum wage of Rp 172,000, but pointed out that such a salary was not enough to provide for the workers' daily necessities.

Sahat S., a staff member of the industrial relations directorate at the ministry, said after receiving the workers' representatives that his directorate would call on the company's management to resume negotiations. (rms)