Soekarno-Hatta braces for strikes

Nurni Sulaiman ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta, Balikpapan   |  Wed, 05/07/2008 12:54 AM  |  Headlines

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport head Herry Bakti said the management were prepared for the possibility of a strike on Wednesday of some 2,000 staff at other airports.

Herry told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that he had "received assurances that air traffic controllers would not join the rally."

"Our services will probably be slower, but consumers need not worry about the minor delays they may experience," he said.

If the strike goes ahead, Herry said, delays may occur because Soekarno-Hatta airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II may need to send ground-crew members to other airports operated by PT Angkasa Pura I.

The Angkasa Pura I labor union had previously announced that a decision would be made Tuesday on whether or not the strike (to be held simultaneously in Papua, Manado, Yogyakarta and Ambon) would go ahead.

Labor union head Arif Islam said, "we will most likely continue with the plan to strike if the labor union cannot reach an agreement. We will wait for a response from the Angkasa Pura I board, until 11:59 p.m. Central Indonesia time."

PT Garuda Indonesia -- consisting of a crew of 1,641 personnel -- fully supported the Angkasa Pura I labor union, Garuda Indonesia Flight Attendants Union (IKAGI) head Dewi Anggraini said Monday in a statement made available to the Post.

Similar support was also offered by the Federation of Labor Unions of Strategic State-Owned Enterprises, and Yogyakarta's Adisutjipto airport labor union.

Simultaneous strikes are likely to be held at other airports including Frans Kasiepo Airport in Biak, Papua; Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado, North Sulawesi; and Pattimura Airport in Ambon, Maluku.

Previously, the Angkasa Pura I labor union had staged four rallies in Jakarta; in May, July and September of 2007 and March of 2008. It demanded that the board of directors increase salaries, provide social security insurance (Jamsostek) for employees, and put a stop to outsourcing and contract-based recruitment.

PT Angkasa Pura I management had pledged to accommodate these demands by revising the 2005 - 2007 collaborative labor agreement. (lva)

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