International Metalworkers Federation - Call for solidarity and support for Toshiba Workers

The International Metalworkers' Federation has called for support for struggling Toshiba Indonesia union workers who have been locked out of the plant with no wages or healthcare benefits since April.

More than 700 members of IMF-affiliate Federasi Serikat Pekerja Metal Indonesia (FSPMI) went on strike at PT Toshiba Consumer Products Indonesia on April 16 after the company refused to recognize the collective labour agreement signed both by the union and management. Toshiba Indonesia also fired 15 elected trade union leaders at the plant despite stern recommendations from the Indonesian government to withdraw threats of employment termination.

The workers are demanding that the company honours the collective labour agreement and registers it with the Indonesian government and that all fired workers are reinstated immediately and without sanction.

To support the struggling Toshiba workers, IMF calls on its affiliates to contribute to the Toshiba Indonesia strike fund in support of the 700 locked out workers. The IMF has contributed US$3,000 to the fund and encourages others to donate through the new PayPal function on the IMF website, which can be found here.

The Co-ordinating Committee of the IMF Asia-Pacific Regional Conference met on June 26 in Bangkok and adopted a proposal for action calling on all IMF affiliates to provide financial assistance to the striking workers and to urgently educate their membership about the dispute. Earlier, in May, the IMF Congress passed a resolution in full support of FSPMI and Toshiba workers, condemning the company for its total disregard of workers' rights.

IMF is continuing to work closely with its affiliates in Japan and Indonesia to bring a resolution to the dispute. Affiliates are also encouraged to send letters to Toshiba management in Japan and Indonesia as well as Indonesia's Minister of Manpower and Transmigration.

Send letters to:

Mr. A. Makino
Managing Director
PT. Toshiba Consumer Products Indonesia
EJIP Industrial Park Plot 5G
Cikarang Selatan - Bekasi 17550
Indonesia
T. +62 21 897 0462
FAX: +62 21 897 0465

Mr. Erman Suparno
Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration
Email: redaksi_balitfo@nakertrans.go.id

Toshiba Corporation
FAX: +81 3 3456 1631

FSPMI
FAX: +62 21 841 3954
Email: said.iqbal@fspmi.org

IMF Southeast Asia and Pacific Office
Email: seao@imfmetal.org Jul 03, 2009 – Anita Gardner