The Jakarta Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) has condemned the unilateral sacking of CNN Indonesia employees after they declared the establishment of the CNN Indonesia Workers Solidarity trade union (SPCI) on Tuesday August 27.

The SPCI is a trade union that accommodates CNN Indonesia employees and is the first trade union in the Trans Media corporation owned by billionaire media tycoon Chairul Tanjung.

"CNN Indonesia Workers Solidarity was legally registered [with the Jakarta Labour, Transmigration and Energy Office] on August 27, 2024, with registration number 949/SP/JS/VIII/2024", said AJI Jakarta Chairperson Irsyan Hasyim a media release received by Serat.id on Sunday September 1.

Hasyim noted that trade unions are protected by Article 28 and Article 43 Paragraph (1) of Law Number 21/2000 on Trade Unions. Thus, efforts to curb trade unions can be categorised as a criminal act.

For AJI Jakarta, the establishment of the trade union is a strategic step for the CNN Indonesia employees to fight for labour rights that are fair and decent.

As has been reported, CNN Indonesia workers are currently having their wages cut by the management. The wage cuts have been going on for three months.

"The formation of trade unions is a human right that is guaranteed legally by the Indonesian Constitution", he said

In addition, freedom of association is also guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution), the Human Rights Law and Law Number 21/2000.

Furthermore said Hasyim, freedom of association is guaranteed by International Labor Organisation (ILO) Convention Number 87/1948 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise and ILO Convention Number 98/1949 on the Right to Associate and Collective Negotiation. Indonesia has ratified both ILO conventions.

On that basis, AJI Jakarta is urging the CNN Indonesia management to stop the practice of union busting by revoking the letter of termination for the employees who become SPCI officials.

Then, the CNN Indonesia management must also stop the arbitrary wage deductions for all employees.

Hasyim is asking that the Ministry of Labour and the DKI Jakarta provincial Labour Office monitor the potential for violations and labour crimes at CNN Indonesia.

In addition, he is encouraging the Press Council to review the verification of media owned by CNN Indonesia where there are indications of the neglect of employees' welfare.

"[As well as] encouraging the establishment of trade unions in other media companies, as an effort to protect employees' rights", he concluded.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "AJI Jakarta Kecam PHK Sepihak CNN Indonesia".]

Source: https://serat.id/2024/09/01/aji-jakarta-kecam-phk-sepihak-cnn-indonesia/