Ex-workers of closed gas stations expect financial backup to move on

Niken Prathivi ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 11/22/2009 5:47 PM  |  Jakarta

The Pertamina gas station on Jl. Pangeran Dipenogoro, in Central Jakarta, has been closed for three weeks now and former staff, who are  still waiting for severance packages, are making money by guarding the now obsolete station.

Each day, Dumeri, 50, who had worked at the station for 25 years, and his ex-workmates make Rp 35,000 (US$ 3.5) each from their former boss, Amran, to buy food.

“It has been a tricky situation for us and the remaining 16 ex-workers here since the station was closed,” Dumeri told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

“We really want to move on. Personally, I would like to start selling food, but I need start-up capital. I’m expecting my severance pay,” said the father of six, adding his boss had promised between Rp 1.5 million and 2 million in severance pay on Monday.

Meanwhile, Maman, 56, ex-worker of another closed gas station on Jl. Kwitang, said he and dozens of his former co-workers had just visited their former boss Sobri Nawawi to discuss severance.

“Our boss promised us Rp 2 million in severance pay each. That’s okay with us. But what we really want to see is some real solution from the government, because in a way, they made us jobless,” he added.

The father of five said city administration officers would visit ex-workers of Kwitang’s gas station on Dec. 5.

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