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Jakarta Post

Workers'€™ rally causes minor disruption

Dwelling time?: Dozens of container trucks queue in front of the gate of the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, on Tuesday

Nadya Natahadibrata (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Wed, July 29, 2015

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Workers'€™ rally causes minor disruption

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span class="inline inline-center">Dwelling time?: Dozens of container trucks queue in front of the gate of the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, on Tuesday. Employees went on strike on Tuesday, but the management claimed the protest did not disturb loading and unloading activities at the terminal. JP/DON

Transportation Ministry director general for sea transportation Bobby Mamahit said on Tuesday that the rally staged by employees of PT Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) did not impede loading and unloading at the country'€™s main port, Tanjung Priok in Jakarta.

'€œThe rally did not significantly affect loading and unloading at the port. We deployed our staff to the port to relocate loading and unloading process at JICT to other terminals if necessary,'€ Bobby told reporters.

Since early morning on Tuesday, JICT'€™s workers union had staged a rally, blocking loading and unloading of goods at the terminal, and demanding the annulment of Pelindo'€™s decision to lay off two of its employees.

JICT workers union secretary general Firmansyah told The Jakarta Post that the workers had ended the rally at 12.30 p.m, today, as Pelindo II had decided to cooperate with the workers union and annul the dismissal of two JICT employees.

'€œThe terminal has resumed its operation after management decided to annul the dismissal of JICT employees and they have also agreed to consider our other demand, which is to cancel a contract awarded to Hutchison,'€ he said over the phone.

JICT, an affiliate of Pelindo II, handles container loading and unloading services for both export and import at Tanjung Priok port.

In August last year, Pelindo II, also known as the Indonesia Port Corporation (IPC), signed a contract with Hong Kong-based Hutchison Port Holding (HPH), renewing the latter'€™s rights to operate JICT for another 20 years. HPH'€™s concession to operate JICT '€” a joint venture between Pelindo II and HPH established in 1999 '€” was due to end in 2019.

The workers union said that the contract renewal has caused state losses and violated the law, as it was renewed five years before the contract ends. However, Firmansjah said that the contract renewal did not directly impact workers'€™ welfare.

Tempo.co reported that since early morning on Tuesday, at least 3,663 containers were piled up and waiting for loading and unloading at JICT terminal after hundreds of JICT workers decided to block activities at the port.

According to the Tanjung Priok Port Authority head Bay M. Hasani, Tanjung Priok port authority, together with JICT diverted loading and unloading to Koja Container Terminal and Terminal III JICT when it was necessary. The action was taken to avoid the accumulation of containers in the terminal, he said.

Separately, in a written statement, Pelindo II said that all terminal operators in Tanjung Priok, namely JICT, TPK Koja and Multi Terminal Indonesia (MTI) have committed to providing 24-hour services.

'€œThe act of blocking loading and unloading activities at the port is unlawful and causes state losses. IPC will not compromise and will take firm action against those who committed the offense,'€ the statement reads.

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