Regarding PTDI Employee Salaries, Erick Thohir Makes Sure There Are No Cuts

SOE Minister Erick Thohir (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir ensured that PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) would not cut the salaries of its employees. However, Erick confirmed that employee salaries were paid in installments.

As is known, PTDI is currently in the spotlight because of the repayment of employees' salaries. The issue of paying employee salaries with this installment scheme is known through the circulation of circulars numbered SE/028/030.02/KU000/PTD/12/2023 concerning Underpayment of Salaries in November 2023.

"The PTDI salary issue, I report this from them, so it is clear that there are no cuts," Erick said at a press conference at the Ministry of SOEs, Jakarta, Tuesday, December 19.

Furthermore, Erick said that the policy for paying salaries for PTDI employees in installments was taken due to the payment of projects that did not arrive on time.

"And it has been discussed that it will be paid in stages, because they have cash miss. There are payments that don't come in on time," he said.

According to Erick, this salary payment scheme in installments has also been submitted to employee representatives.

"So it's not cut or anything. But they've been talking about it in stages. And it's been talking to employees' representatives," he explained.

Previously reported, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) revealed the reasons behind the decision to pay off employees' salaries. This condition is because project payments have shifted payment times by PTDI clients.

"This is because there is a payment process from several customers who still need time, even though the contract has been signed and effective," said PTDI Corporate Secretary Gemma Grimald confirmed, Monday, December 18.

Among them, continued Gemma, there was a shift in payments by the Philippine National Department of Defense or DND Philippines due to a change in leadership at the institution.

Selain itu, lanjut Gemma, ada pula kontrak modernisasi C130 TNI AU dan pengadaan CN235 TNI AL yang telah ditandatangani pemerintah dengan PTDI. Namun, saat ini masih dalam proses finalisasi menuju efektif kontrak.

"It is targeted that payments can be received from the Indonesian government in December 2023-January 2024," explained Gemma.

Regarding the payment of this employee's salary, Gemma said that PTDI is also trying to earn from the optimization of non-productive assets such as old inventory that cannot be used for running programs.

"Actually, this salary problem has been anticipated and communicated, and discussed together with employee representatives. Therefore, until now employee salaries have never been deducted (reduced) for payment, it's just been paid in stages," he said.