GWK Strike Ends

(4/14/2003)

A strike by some 350 workers of the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Monument (GWK) ended on Monday, July 01, 2002, four days after being launched by disgruntled employees.

Discussions mediated by the local Labor Office between the workers and the Monument's management on Monday, resulted in an agreement to halt the strike and submit to an arbitration process conducted by the Provincial Department of Manpower.

The industrial action was called by the workers at the popular monument site in response to decisions by management to cut by half the service charge received from park sales and to increase working hours from a 5 to a 6 day week. On the fourth day of the strike the workers finally made good their threat to block the main access to the park by staging a sit-in at the entrance gate.

GWK Claims Continuing Losses

During the strike-site negotiations conduted by labor officials, the management explained to the employees that the Park continues to suffer financial losses, losing Rp. 2.5 billion in 2000 and Rp. 3.5 billion (approximately US$ 412,000) in 2001. Meanwhile, the employees complained that changes in work schedules and the service charge payments were unilaterally imposed by the Management without the mandatory consultation beforehand with the staff.

The workers have now returned to their posts and the Park is, once again, open for business.

Formal mediation is expected to commence next week at the Manpower Department between the Park's Management and appointed representatives of the Park's workers.