Workers Union Protests as Garuda Indonesia Caterer Fires 152 Employees

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Aerofood Indonesia employees are currently fighting the company’s decision to lay off 152 Garuda Indonesia-owned catering company workers, which they claimed had been done arbitrarily. 

“The decision to impose a layoff was taken arbitrarily and without a deal being made with us as the management of the ACS Sekar Sejahtera labor union,” said Sekar Sejahtera ACS chairperson Agus Sulistyo in a written statement on July 26.

Agus argued that the layoff goes against the law and created disharmonious industrial relations. Employees, he said, became restless and uneasy at work.

"As on several public speeches, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) often reminded all business actors not to lay off workers. But the fact is that currently, the management of PT Aerofood Indonesia as a subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia is actually doing layoffs unilaterally," said Agus.

He questioned the company’s decision as Indonesia’s economy is starting to show positive signs of growth, along with increasing commercial flight traffic. He believes that that should have been responded to by Aerofood by expanding its business opportunities. 

Employees, Agus added, are demanding the company cancel its layoff policy. They also urged the company to hire and restore the position of the laid-off employees.

The union has expressed this in a letter sent to Aerofood Indonesia director I Wayan Suseno, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, SOEs Minister Erick Thohir, Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah, House of Representatives (DPR), and Garuda Indonesia directors and commissioners. 

Tempo tried to contact Wayan Susena and Garuda Indonesia president Irfan Setiaputra to confirm if the layoff was conducted arbitrarily but has not received any answer until publication.

JONIANSYAH HARDJONO (CONTRIBUTOR) 

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