Is It True That AICE Did Not Carry Out Unilateral Layoffs?

Planning for a strike by employees of PT Alpen Food Industry (AFI) some time ago (Mery Handayai / VOI)

JAKARTA - Indra admitted that he was disappointed. The company where he worked, namely PT Alpen Food Industry (AFI), did not admit to having made an unilateral termination of employment (PHK). Indra is a member of the union of the Indonesian earthworkers movement (SGBBI) which staged a strike some time ago.

We tried to contact Indra to get information about the mass layoffs carried out by the ice cream manufacturer AICE. As well as confirming the AICE statement regarding the case.

Indra said that he and hundreds of SGBBI members had legally staged a strike. Thus, the AICE company cannot call employees during the action.

Furthermore, Indra said, not all employees who took part in the strike action received a summons from the company. He explained that the employees had agreed to return to work on May 5.

"We conducted a legal strike action. When PT AFI made the summons, we responded to a letter from PT AFI that we were on strike. We will return to work on Tuesday, May 5. But the company refused," said Indra, to VOI. , Friday, June 26

When going back to work, said Indra, the company actually made a plan to expel employees by involving complete security forces from the Police and TNI.

Indra assessed that the actions taken by his company were unilateral layoffs. Because, when employees plan to return to work, the company actually makes a work decision.

"PT AFI returned a response letter from an SGBBI member who received a call to come to work. When we wanted to enter we were actually prevented from returning to work," he explained.

Not only that, Indra said, the BPJS Health facilities for employees who took part in the strike action were also cut off by the company without prior notification.

"The company also unilaterally decides the workers' BPJS. So that workers cannot seek treatment and some workers whose wives give birth have to go into debt because BPJS cannot be used," said Indra.

Previously, the Legal Corporate for Alpen Food Industry, Simon Audry Halomoan Siagian, emphasized that in his company there had never been any unilateral layoffs from the company. He explained that the company will consider layoffs if someone violates company regulations and has received an SP3.

Furthermore, Simon said, so far what had happened in the company was layoffs because the employee in question had indeed submitted a resignation request.

Regarding the mass layoffs some time ago, Simon explained, the company did not immediately take action to carry out layoffs. The decision was taken after the company made two written summons but received no response. Thus, the company was forced to qualify for an illegal employee strike.

"After we summoned the workers, they did not heed our calls. So because they did not heed, it qualifies as resignation. That is what is called layoffs due to resignation. So there is no termination of employment by the company," said Simon.