National Workers Union Criticizes PT. ITSS for Blocking Union Activities, SPNNews, July 22, 2024

(SPNNews) Bahodopi, Sulawesi – The local branch of Indonesia’s National Workers Union at PT. Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS) on Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island has again voiced strong criticism of the company’s management in blocking workers from conducting union activities. Management’s changes to collective leave procedures have directly impacted the granting of leave SPN leaders and members. This was revealed during a bipartite meeting held on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

Chair of the executive of SPN PT. ITSS Local Mr. La Ode Muhammad Kasman expressed his frustration with management’s actions which he believes have continued to stop workers from engaging in union activities. According to Kasman, management is not only violating the Collective Labor Agreement (PKB) that has been agreed, but also the current laws and regulations in force.

“This is not the first time the management of PT. ITSS has made it difficult to obtain permission to participate in union activities. Now, notifications are circulating via WhatsApp about the procedures for applying for permits, which clearly contradict the Collective Labor Agreement and the law. We demand that original process for obtaining permits be restored, and centralized in the HR departments of each company,” Kasman told SPNNews on July 22, 2024.

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Meanwhile, Andi Hamka, head of advocacy for Morowali Regency SPN district chapter executive, added that in addition to the issue of permits for union activities, the bipartite meeting also discussed changes to the payroll system using a method for calculating tonnage.

“With a payroll system based on calculations of tonnage, it will inevitably lead to the loss of overtime pay and salary calculations, as well as increase the potential for workplace accidents. We demand that management stop the tonnage-based payroll system, and revert to the payroll system and workers’ rights used before they were transferred to PT. Indonesia Ruipu Nickel and Chrome Alloy (IRNC) and PT. Express Cahaya Bintang (ECB),” said Andi Hamka.

Hamka also emphasized that management should stop the practice of dual HRD positions involving different legal entities, as this violates the provisions of the Collective Labor Agreement and hinders optimal human resource management. (SN-08)

This article is based on https://spn.or.id/pengurus-spn-kembali-kritik-tindakan-manajemen-pt-itss-yang-menghalangi-kegiatan-serikat-pekerja/

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