Kupastuntas.co, Bandar Lampung - Dozens of female workers at Phillips Seafoods Indonesia (PT PSI) Lampung Plant Company, which is located on Sutami Road, Campang Raya, Tanjung Karang Timur District, holds demonstration in front of the City Government of Bandar Lampung Indonesia, Wednesday (22/2/2023).

This action was motivated by the rejection of termination of employment or dismissal which was allegedly carried out unilaterally by the company against 40 female employees.

They asked the Bandar Lampung City Manpower Service to return them to work at the company. Eka, an employee said, before going to the municipal government office, his party had held 9 demonstrations.

"We are only demanding immediate re-employment here, because we have not only worked for 2 to 3 years, but have worked for Phillips for 20 years," said Eka.

According to Eka, the company laid off 40 female employees for one reason, one of which was age.

"Even though I myself still 45 years old, I have not yet reached retirement age, because the limit is 55 years and I cannot work anymore," she said.

In addition to the light age factor, the company also reasoned because of the speed factor. But clearly, if the speed problem is colleagues who have been working there for a long time, they are no less fast than those who have just been recruited.

"But it's not just the old ones, there are also many new ones who were fired, that is, we have 40 people. These are from various divisions, so it's not just a matter of speed, it's just an excuse," she said disappointed.

Eka admitted that her party was not given a warning letter 1, 2 or 3. It was just suddenly closed for more than a month.

"After a month of vacation we asked the company, and their answers were exchanged without explanation. Suddenly, in early September 2022, we were fired," said Eka.

Some time later, the workers' representatives who staged the demonstration accompanied by the Bandar Lampung Legal Aid Institute mediated with PSI in the Bandar Lampung Employment Service meeting room.

The Head of Industrial Relations and Labor Protection, the Bandar Lampung City Manpower Office, Hardiansyah said, in the mediation the workers were represented by attorneys from the Bandar Lampung Legal Aid Institute, then PT. PSI was authorized by lawyer Sopian Sitepu.

"Mediation has been carried out earlier, we have heard from both parties who were represented by their respective lawyers. Those who received this power of attorney will convey it to each party. So there is no conclusion yet," he said.

Therefore, he explained, his party would still schedule a follow-up mediation on March 1, 2023.

"So we will reschedule it on March 1. What are the results of their reports authorized by the power parties, is there an agreement. Because we are only mediating," he said.

Cases like this he continued, his party carried out several stages, namely mediation, clarification, then the second and third mediation.

"This is only the first mediation. So that there are two more stages, if in the third mediation there is no common ground or solution then we will submit it to the Industrial Relations Court," he said.

Hardiansyah said that during the mediation both parties were still scornful at their respective stances.

"Freelance workers who have been laid off since September 2022 want to be re-employed, while the company really doesn't want to hire them anymore. But we'll see, the decision will be further mediated," he said.

Meanwhile, a public lawyer at Bandar Lampung Legal Aid Institute, Bagus, said that his party still asked for the 40 workers who were laid off to be reinstated.

"We want workers to be reinstated, but companies still don't want to re-employ them," said Bagus. (*)