Awaiting The Continuation Of The Labor Boycott 'Drama' Of Indomaret Owned By Conglomerate Anthony Salim, Which Party Is Right?

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. KSPI)

JAKARTA - The workers who are members of the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Unions (FSPMI) and the Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPI) started the first campaign to boycott Indomaret products on Thursday, May 27. The action was carried out in front of the head office of PT Indomarco Prismatama in North Jakarta.

FSPMI President Riden Hatam Aziz said the theme of the campaign action was boycotting Indomaret or releasing Anwar Bessy. The action started at 09.00 WIB. This action has not yet arrived at an action order to boycott by stopping buying Indomaret products, but begins with the socialization of the boycott.

"Because they follow the COVID-19 health protocol, the maximum number of workers involved is 70 people. The campaign is conducted at the Jakarta head office," he told VOI, Thursday evening, May 27.

Riden said, Indomaret had responded to the campaign actions carried out by FSPM and KSPI. The Director General of Industrial Relations Development (PHI) of the Ministry of Manpower has facilitated a meeting between the workers and Indomaret.

"The meeting will continue tomorrow (Friday, May 28, 2021). The meeting agenda is to finalize the settlement of the case," he said.

VOI has tried to contact Indomarco Marketing Director Prismatama Wiwiek Yusuf regarding the boycott campaign for the retail product owned by conglomerate Anthony Salim which was carried out by workers on Thursday, May 27. However, until this news was published, there was no response from Indomaret.

The beginning of the case

This problem originated from a rumor that Indomaret management would cut the holiday allowance (THR) ahead of Eid 2020. At that time, Anwar Bessy, who was a driver delivering goods to the Indomaret shop along with hundreds of other workers, gathered and protested. to Indomaret management regarding the THR deduction.

The protests lasted for 2 days, May 8 and May 11, 2020, located at the Ancol Distribution Center (DC), Jalan Ancol Barat 7 No. 2 Ancol Village, Pademangan District, North Jakarta.

On the day that the action was carried out, there was broken gypsum. However, the damage was not planned in advance by Anwar Bessy and tended to be accidental. However, Indomaret actually sued this.

Therefore, the President of the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Unions (FSPMI), Riden Hatam Aziz threatened to boycott Indomaret products if its members were not immediately acquitted of criminal charges.

"If Indomarco management does not respond to our demands, then we will instruct to boycott all Indomaret products throughout Indonesia and I will instruct them to hold demonstrations at all Indomaret head offices or branches throughout Indonesia," he said in a press conference. virtual, Sunday, May 16.

Furthermore, Riden admitted that he was surprised that the case which was considered 'trivial' was brought to court when the workers demanded THR which was their right. According to him, Anwar was emotional, spontaneously moved his hand, hit the gypsum of the office to a hole of approximately 20-25 centimeters (cm).

With this incident, said Riden, Anwar Bessy was immediately prosecuted and now has entered the court in North Jakarta and has had two trials, on May 18 he will enter the third trial.

"The latest information about the gypsum that was perforated was the office space, now it is being demolished, meaning that the room is no longer used by the management. This means that the room actually even if Anwar Bessy's brother is not emotional, it is going to be torn down," he said.

Question the role of the Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah

On the same occasion, the President of KSPI Said Iqbal questioned the role of the Minister of Manpower (Menaker) in the case that dragged Anwar Bessy. Because, until now, Indomaret is said to have not paid the 2020 THR, which was paid 50 percent.

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"Demanding THR is even threatened with imprisonment because Indomarco, who oddly states that he is unable to pay THR 2020 of only 50 percent, to this day it has not been paid, why has he instead filed a criminal sentence for imprisonment. Where is the role of the Minister of Manpower? said Iqbal.

Previously, the President of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) who is also the ILO Governing Body (Central Executive) of the ILO's UN Agency Said Iqbal strongly condemned PT Indomarco Prismatama for making a worker a suspect and is now undergoing a trial in court.

Iqbal regretted the attitude taken by PT Indomarco Prismatama which seemed to insist on imprisoning its workers when the workers demanded THR payments in accordance with previous years.

"That was only minor damage. Unfortunately, this is used as a justification for imprisoning a worker who is seeking justice for the THR payment," he said, in Jakarta, Tuesday, May 11.

According to Iqbal, the reasons for entrepreneurs who said they had lost due to the pandemic should be suspected of making it up and only as an excuse for entrepreneurs to avoid paying the THR in full.

"Indomarco as part of the Indomaret Group does not make sense if it experiences losses in the midst of a pandemic. Thousands of Indomaret outlets remain open amid the pandemic and they are still profiting amid the pandemic," he said.

Iqbal considered this incident to be truly ironic. In fact, workers demand THR payment which is a right but they are faced with imprisoning their workers. This clearly violates ILO Convention No. 87 on freedom of association and No. 98 on the right to bargain.

"Where is the state to protect workers' rights? Workers are only fighting for THR, why should they be faced with imprisonment? Are police officers used as a tool to frighten and suppress workers who are fighting for their rights ?," he said.

Campaign options at the international level will be carried out

In the video circulating, it is seen that there are police and military personnel in the middle of the action of workers who are demanding THR payment at PT Indomarco. As the President of KSPI who is also the Governing Body of the ILO, Said Iqbal questioned this.

"Why do we have to have police and soldiers? Is the THR issue so critical that it was brought in by the police and the army ?," he asked.

According to Iqbal, this violates statutory regulations and international law regulated in the ILO Conventions. Therefore, the KSPI and the ILO Governing Body will report this case to the Judicial Commission and Kompolnas, to protest why the issue of the THR lawsuit which only spontaneously caused minor damage to the wall had to be brought to the district court which threatened prison terms for workers. Moreover, this is a minor issue, which should not be brought into the realm of crime.

In addition, said Iqbal, KSPI will also bring this case to the ILO hearing in June 2021 as a case of violation of the right to association and the right to bargain, as well as the criminalization of workers who are fighting for their rights protected by labor law in Indonesia and the international law of the ILO Convention. .

"KSPI will also campaign internationally and nationally against companies suspected of violating labor rights at PT Indomarco and criminalizing Anwar Bessy who is fighting for his THR," he said.

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