PT Well Harvest Winning Alumina Refinery shows concern over labour unions strike in regards to the wage scale

Indonesia’s first and largest smelter grade alumina producer, PT Well Harvest Winning Alumina Refinery management took seriously the issue of a strike that will be carried out by the PK-SBSI labour union and PT Well Harvest Winning Alumina Refinery’s FSBSPK regarding the issue of the structure of the employee wage scale on 5th July 2021.

Boni Subekti, Director of PT Well Harvest Winning Alumina Refinery, said: “The company is always open to communicating in discussions aimed at finding the best solution.”

“The company had carried out its obligations regarding the payment of employee rights that had been agreed upon in the collective work agreement (PKB).”

“Based on the records, there is no agreement in the CLA that is not executed by the company. If there is any, then it is related to technical administration, the process takes time.”

"Therefore, the company has carried out the mandate that has been stipulated in the laws and regulations in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, especially in the field of employment," Boni stated.

Boni Subekti further added: “One of the demands of PK-SBSI and FSBSPK was to ask the company to prepare a structure and scale of wages, while in fact the company already has a structure and scale of wages that were determined through a Decree of the Board of Directors in December 2020 in accordance with the Job Creation Act number 11 of 2020 and its derivative regulations in Government Regulation number 36 of 2021 concerning wages which state that the structure and scale of wages is the obligation and authority of the company.”

“However, the company is committed to reviewing the structure and scale of the wages in accordance with applicable regulations. We have conveyed the company's commitment to PK-SBSI through official letters and the meetings we held with PK-SBSI," he said.

“The assumption that companies are not willing to develop a wage structure and scale is untrue and unfounded.”

Boni Subekti has acknowledged that the company had officially notified PK-SBSI that the company would use a consultant so that the process of structure and scale of wages carried out was truly based on the financial condition and productivity of the company.

"Nevertheless, the company is always open to communicating with PK-SBSI and FSBSPK in order to create the best solution," he said.

“The company also regrets the alleged sexual harassment case by the Foreign Worker (TKA). If the allegations are true, they will be processed according to the law in force in Indonesia.”

"The company will give strict sanctions to those concerned if they are proven to have done things that do not reflect the company's values," he concluded.