Cianjur – Scores of workers employed at the beverage company PT Tirta Sukses Perkasa in Cianjur, West Java, are calling for an end to the involvement of the TNI (Indonesian military) in an industrial dispute they are currently embroiled in.

Over the last month the workers have been on strike in response arbitrary sackings by the company.

According to the workers, who are part of the Indonesian Workers Federation of Struggle (FPBI), the dismissals were arbitrary and violate a mutual agreement. “The dismissals violate a mutual agreement and are not in accordance with prevailing law”, said FPBI Cianjur regency chairperson Fajrian.

In a press release received by Kabar Buruh (Labour News), the company has deployed fully armed TNI and police personnel. Gan Gan Solehudin, from the FPBI’s advocacy division, said that the TNI and police presence is to protect the company which wants to remove goods from the company.

“The arrival of fully armed TNI and police is designed to thwart workers who are carrying out a legitimate strike. And, indirectly, to intimidate the workers”, said Solehudin.

According to Solehudin, fully armed TNI and police should not intervene in industrial disputes because it is not their job. The workers say that will report the matter to the appropriate authorities.

A number of labour activists have openly conveyed their protests to the Medan 05/105 Artillery Battalion commander. In their protest the workers said that the workers’ strike does not constitute a threat to the state so the TNI does not need deploy troops at the company. (gum)

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Buruh PT Tirta Sukses Minta TNI Tarik Pasukan Dari Pengawalan Mogok Kerja.]

Source: http://kabarburuh.com/buruh-pt-tirta-sukses-minta-tni-tarik-pasukan-dari-pengawalan-mogok-kerja/