19 March, 2009Two sisters face up to six years imprisonment after their company targeted them for trying to organize precarious workers.
INDONESIA: FSPMI is calling for the Indonesian President to intervene to ensure the release of shop stewards Evi Risiasari and Yuli Setianingsih, who are in prison as a result of their union activities.
The sisters have been fighting to secure ongoing employment for all 152 employees at PT Takita Manufacturing, where less than half of the workers have permanent jobs.
PT. Takita Manufacturing has seriously violated both Indonesian Labour Laws, and ILO Conventions 87 and 98 by attempting to prevent the women from organizing precarious workers, targeting them with false charges and forcing them to sign fake declarations which have been used to imprison them.
The FSPMI is holding daily protests with other workers in front of the factory in Cikarang, Bekasi, around 50 kms from Jakarta.
Management of the Japanese company targeted the sisters for their union activities and accused them of falsifying medical leave.
When the sisters denied the accusation, they were threatened with immediate dismissal and forced to sign written statements agreeing to the charges.
They were then arrested after management took the forced statements to the police and despite representations to the Public Prosecutors office by FSPMI, both sisters were remanded in prison on March 3.
Mother of a six year old son, 34 year old Evi was in tears when visited by the IMF and FSPMI Secretary Iqbal Said, FSPMI President Eduard Marpaung and other shop stewards.
27 year old Yuli fears she will have to cancel her wedding which is planned for July if they are not released soon.
Both are determined to continue fighting for their rights and are angry they were tricked by management.
As is common practice in the region, corrupt Human Resource management at the company take bribes from labour suppliers to continue hiring contract workers.
FSPMI Secretary Iqbal Said said corruption within the judiciary also made long prison terms for the sisters a very real possibility.
FSPMI are asking IMF affiliates to write to the President of Indonesia to request he ensures the immediate release of Evi and Yuli and Freedom of Association for trade unions in Indonesia.