Take A Stand for Indonesian Workers!!

Take A Stand for Indonesian Workers!!

Posted Feb 12, 2005

Some of you have been following the case of the PT Sarasa Nugraha workers for almost a year now. Help make sure the union's demands are respected by the management! Kohl's Department Store is a buyer at the Balaraja Unit, and must be encouraged to use their leverage in this case!

Please find below:

Ideas for Action
Update on Workers' Situation
Campaign History

Ideas for Action: TELL KOHL'S TO TAKE ACTION!

Deliver this leaflet (PRF, 45 kb) to your local Kohl's! Kohl's is a buyer from PT Sarasa Nugraha and, throughout this process to seek an agreement between management and the union, has done nothing to demonstrate its supposed dedication to workers' rights.

Make sure Kohl's knows they can do something for these workers; join activists across the country in delivering this message to Kohl's. You could also hand out leaflets to other shoppers asking them to contact Kohl's store managers with these concerns.

Update on Workers' Situation

The agreement reached between the SPTP union and both former and current management on October 11, 2004, included reinstatement of 841 workers, and full recognition of the union, among other things. However, since signing the agreement, the new management has been involved in the following violations of the agreement:

1) Returning employees from the SPTP Union are being required to go through extensive testing and screening before their reinstatement is certain.

2) Returning employees are being required to submit several documents even though the agreement states that the only documents required for reinstatement are two photos, an Indonesian Identity card, and a certificate of good health from a doctor .

3) Management has employed at least 60 machine operators outside the SPTP Union group of 841. This could likely fill the available employment slots prior to all 841 people being reinstated.

4) Members of management, and third parties working with management, have threatened officers of the legally registered union, SPTP, with violence and the revocation of their reinstatement if they do not agree to resign from the SPTP Union immediately.

5) Management has stated that employees cannot continue their union activities with the SPTP Union for at least the first three months that they are working and after completing a trial period.

6) Management has failed to compensate all former PT Sarasa Balaraja workers for their unused leave from the year 2003

Kohl's needs to support the union's demands by insisting that factory management:

Reinstate the remaining workers

Pay the workers full severance pay as defined by the Labor Court's verdict

Campaign History

Workers in Tangerang, Indonesia, at the PT Sarasa Nugraha Tbk. factory, Balaraja Unit, were struggling to survive after the unexpected closure of their factory in February of 2004. The workers belonged to the Enterprise Level Trade Union (SPTP) and were attempting to negotiate their guaranteed wage increase at the beginning of 2004, while the company's management became increasingly uncooperative, and ultimately closed down the factory.

Management attempted to offer a severance pay to the workers of only 25% of the amount stipulated by Indonesian law, and, though they offered renewed employment to the workers, it was as new employees, effectively taking away any seniority or benefits they held before the closure. With the help of an international campaign, the workers at the Balaraja unit factory won the re-opening of the factory and reached an agreement with management. Now, we need to make sure that agreement is respected.

STAND UP FOR WORKERS' RIGHTS TODAY!