Justice Has Been Served For Indonesian Nike Workers

Jakarta, Jan 13 (ANTARA) - Justice has been served for 4.437 American footwear giant workers who worked to produce shoes will be compensated a total of one million U.S. dollars of unpaid overtime hours. "Justice has been served," said Jim Keady, Director of Educating for Justice, a US nonprofit agencies who have been advocating the Indonesian Nike factory issue for more than a decade, by an e-mail received here Friday. After a struggle and investigation for nearly a year, thousands of Indonesian Nike workers can earn the right to their overtime compensation money. The total hours of overtime work performed without paid in two years period is 593,468 hours according to the National Workers Union (SPN) findings of the company`s management, Overtime hours are used to finish sewing Nike shoes. Nike Indonesia (PT Nikomas) workers will receive the money in two installments, the first installment is on January 20, 2012 and the second installment is scheduled on February 5. Keady said that they should have received more money, although workers are satisfied with the compensation. Keady also said that the unpaid overtime practice at PT Nikomas has happened for 18 years, but according to Indonesian law mentioned to claim for overtime hours valid for two years only. The case was reviewed by Keady since February 2011 in a discussion with members of the union at the plant. "It took 11 months for us to work and we have to face denial and deceit of the factory management, but we still fought and we won. And this is just a start. I look forward to working with other brands from workers and unions are willing to fight and win," he said. National Workers Union chairman Bambang Wirahyoso also said that the significance of this victory can affect not only to the workers at PT Nikomas. "This victory is a potential shock therapy for Indonesia`s labor movement, the victory precedent has been made. National Workers Union leaders will fight for all workers who are also experiencing unpaid overtime hours," Bambang said. Meanwhile, Executive Director of Trade Union Rights Center (TURC) Surya Tjandra, said that Jim Keady on Thursday (12/11) visited the TURC office to met with some friends from the trade unions that have members in the footwear sector, he said. TURC is a service organization that focuses on workers` legal empowerment, political and economic union workers and Indonesia. According to Surya, Jim Keady played the most important role in advocating the Nike Indonesian worker`s case and it`s been done a long time. "We also heard similar cases (clock delayed, unpaid overtime) is often long and occurred in various companies. The labor union in the company does not have the strength and willingness to fight for it, until international solidarity like this arise," Surya said. Surya said that in the future, with or without international support such matter, the violation of basic rights, and law enforcement issues, should be the trade union agenda. "Jim Keady promised to continue to work with a variety of other unions who have similar problems, and starting from the companies that produce Nike shoes as the entrance," said Surya Tjandra.