TEMPO.CO, Malang - Dozens of PT Indonesian Tobacco Malang (PT ITM) workers rallied to Malang District Court on Wednesday, April 1, 2015, urging the court to reject the company's lawsuit against 77 former workers for launching a four-hour strike. The former employees launched the strike to defend their peers who were laid off by the company.

Earlier on March 2, 2015, PT ITM lodged a lawsuit demanding a compensation of Rp 1.3 billion from the workers who conducted a strike on May 20 2014. During that time, around 250 workers launched a protest against the company for sacking 20 workers who demanded overtime payment.

"The dispute had been settled at the Industrial Relations Court," said Aminatul, one of the protesters, on Wednesday, April 1, 2015.

Aminatul explained that the 77 former workers had been discharged on July 2014. The Industrial Relations Court ruled the workers to be laid off and ordered the company to pay the severances and salaries during the four-month dispute. Aminatul added that the total liability to be paid by PT IMT was Rp 2.7 billion (around US$207,692).

"But the company refused to pay the severances and filed a lawsuit against the workers for causing losses [for the company] during the strike," Aminatul added.

Erdiyanto Wahyudi, PT IMT lawyer, said that the lawsuit was filed because the 77 workers had violated the labor law for launching a strike without permit and caused the company to bear losses. In relation to the Industrial Relations Court's ruling, the company has promised to discuss the mechanism of severance and salary payment with the workers' legal counsel.

Mediator Judge Rightmen M.S. Situmorang said that the mediation between the company and the workers ended in a deadlock and will be continued on April 9, 2015. Rightmen added that the Malang District Court is authorized to hold a trial session for the case.

EKO WIDIANTO