The Severance Pay Of 1,233 Former Merpati Employees Worth IDR 318.17 Billion Has Not Been Paid Since 2016

Pigeon Plane. (Photo: Doc. Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (Persero) or MNA has not made payments or normative rights to 1,233 employees since 2016 or six years ago. Not only severance pay, but Merpati Airlines' pension rights also have not yet been fulfilled.

Chairman of the Ex Merpati Pilot Association (PPEM), Capt. Anthony Ajawaila said the total unpaid severance rights for employees reached IDR 318.17 billion.

"And the value of pension benefit rights in the form of solvency (Dapen MNA in Liquidation) of 1,744 pensioners, amounting to IDR 94.88 billion", he said in a virtual press conference, Wednesday, June 23.

Anthony said that the former Merpati employee had sought an explanation from the Merpati management regarding various rights issues that had not been fully paid for. However, said Anthony, until now the management has not provided a statement.

Therefore, said Anthony, several former Merpati Airlines pilots who are members of the Ex Merpati Pilots Association (PPEM) sent an open letter to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) which was sent on June 17, 2021, and received a receipt.

"Don't treat us like the saying goes, It's gone sweet, we throw it away. We sincerely ask for your attention and assistance from the President to help make severance pay immediately, as well as our pension rights, which until now have no certainty", he said.

Furthermore, Anthony said that the former employee hopes that the severance pay will be enjoyed in retirement to continue the survival of his family. However, not paying the severance pay is of course a problem for every employee's family.

"Starting from divorce, sick children, dropping out of school, changing jobs to become motorcycle taxi drivers, builders, and others. Even every week we hear news of the death of our colleague, a former Merpati Airlines employee", he said.

Similar concerns were also expressed by the former MNA pilot, Eddy Sarwono. The pilot, who has served 35 years at MNA, believes that severance pay and pensions are rights that must be paid by the company and are protected by law.

Eddy said the government must also remember the services and achievements that have been inscribed by MNA as a pioneering airline in its heyday by its slogan as 'Jembatan Udara Nusantara'.

"Ex-employees do not expect a service award, we only ask for attention from the government. Considering MNA's mission as the Nusantara Air Bridge which pioneered opening up remote areas in Indonesia. MNA is not a profit-oriented SOE, we only want clarity about rights. "Our rights as ex-employees are to support life in our old age", said Eddy.