BY MAX LANE
Leaders of a militant union, including former political prisoner Dita Sari, have been arrested by Indonesian police during a crackdown on striking workers.
One thousand workers from fifteen branches of the Matahari Putra Prima department store took strike action on November 8, gathering in the company's headquarters to demand a meeting between their union, the Indonesian National Front for Workers Struggle (FNPBI), and the company and payment of various allowances that the company had not given them.
The workers are paid a monthly wage of between $40 and $50, without the obligatory $2 a day food and transport allowance.
The company management refused to meet the union, stating that the union was an outside "third party" presence.
After having been peacefully assembled since 7am, at 2pm the police issued an ultimatum to disperse. In a last-minute attempt to start negotuations, workers elected a delegation to meet with management but the company still refused.
The police commander then ordered his troops to disperse the workers and beat them. According to the FNPBI, 31 workers suffered injuries, mainly wounds to the head while others suffered severe bruising from being kicked while on the ground.
Eight union leaders were arrested, including FNPBI chairperson Dita Sari. Also arrested was the chairperson of the Matahari branch of the union, Amran Sadat.
According to reports in the Kompas newspaper, they were being detained at the Violent Crimes Division of Jakarta Metropolitan Police Headquarters.
From Green Left Weekly, November 14, 2001.
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