Dear Friends,
Greetings from APWSL Pakistan.
Iam Sending you an urgent solidarity request appeal from The workers PT. Impian Busana from Japan Sweater manufacturer in Indonesia. Kindly send Urgent Solidarity message to The Workers Representatives of PT. Impian Busana on the addresses given below.
And protest letter to the following addresses :
PT. IMPIAN BUSANA
Berbek Industri III/1, Sidoarjo, East Java
Indonesia
Tel. +62-31-8430 304
Fax. +62-31-8430 506
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ENDLESS CO. LTD. (mother company of PT. IMPIAN BUSANA)
Mr. Tokyo Shimada (President Director)
2495 Mujinasuka, Oura-machi
Gumma- Japan
Tel. +81-276-88-1644
Fax. +81-276-89-117111
In Solidarity
Rubina Jamil
Coordinator
APWSL
_____________________________________________________________________________________
GARMENT WORKERS DISMISSED
FROM JAPAN SWEATER MANUFACTURER IN INDONESIA
Solidarity request from the workers of PT. Impian Busana.
PT. Impian Busana is a Japanese subsidiary based in Berbek, Sidoarjo (East Java) which produces garments for Japanese exports. It was established in 1990 and employs 400 workers (25 male and 375 female). The main production is knitted sweater and the brand names (as remembered by the workers): Mobil, Pincponc, Elle Alle, Queens Gate, Cynthia White, Clothing, Stravin. Various violations have been reported since it was set up: workers have been regularly intimidated, fired without proper procedures, sexually harassed, and punished without due reason. Wages and bonuses do not meet workers basic needs and are often used as tools of punishment; workers have often been faced with arbitrary extension of the 3-month probation period.
On the 9th of December 1998, nine workers were about to be dismissed for no clear reason. After their refusal to accept the dismissal the company placed them in a section which utilized old unused and rusty machines (they called "Manual Machine" section). These workers were not allowed to talk, to turn their heads and had to carefully arrange 200 layers of thread on the machine for each piece of cloth. Every day they were targetted to finish 70 pieces of cloth which meant that they had to count and arrange 14,000 layers of thread without stopping. An 80 watt lamp was placed very low above their heads (about 20 inch) emitting intense heat. Workers from this section have complained of headaches, leg and back pain, stiffness in their arms. Some were also getting their menstruation twice a month. Because of these conditions and the fact that the product is only piled up in storage for extended periods of time, workers view this section twenty workers have been placed there. Because of the difficult conditions twelve have eventually resigned out of their own accord.
This and other company violations have caused the workers to initiate protest actions. On March 31st, 1999 the workers went on strike and workers’ representatives brought up ten demands to the company, namely the shutting down of the "manual machine" section; a 50% wage increase (at that time the basic salary is Rp. 159,000,-, around USD. 19.00/month in average); easy procedure for menstruation leave; the termination of arbitrary dismissals and transfers to other sections; transportation allowance; probation period of not more than three months; increase of allowance for the second and third shifts and the construction of a roof for their bicycles.
The company gave a written response but refused to hold a bipartite negotiation. The next day the workers went to the regional branch of Ministry of Manpower, the Provincial Assembly, and they also went to the branch level union (SPSI) however these did not give serious attention to the workers’ grievances. The branch level union (SPSI) easily gave in to company pressure. They agreed to sign a letter to suspend 42 workers. All of the 42 workers were in the process of dismissal without any compensation. The workers have repeatedly attempted to demand their rights but none of these have succeeded. In the other hand, the company advertised the vacancy for the production operator in the local newspaper on 17thApril 1999.
Since May 1st the workers who’s active during the strike were gradually transferred to the "manual machine" section. If they refused it then they will be dismissed. This phenomenon seem will be continue.
Action requested
Please write, telephone , fax to PT. Impian Busana and Endless Co, Ltd. demanding:
PT. Impian Busana reinstate all dismissed workers and return all transferred workers from "manual machine" section to the former section;
Shuting down the "manual machine" section;
The company must fulfill the worker’s demand.
Please post this Action Alert to
PT. IMPIAN BUSANA
Berbek Industri III/1, Sidoarjo, East Java
Indonesia
Tel. +62-31-8430 304
Fax. +62-31-8430 506
ENDLESS CO. LTD. (mother company of PT. IMPIAN BUSANA)
Mr. Tokyo Shimada (President Director)
2495 Mujinasuka, Oura-machi
Gumma- Japan
Tel. +81-276-88-1644
Fax. +81-276-89-1171
Please mail, fax or e-mail the copy of your letters to:
The workers representatives of PT. Impian Busana
c/o PO. Box 6201
Surabaya 60062
Indonesia
Fax.: +62-31-598 1579
E-mail: ayuni@sby.centrin.net.id