In view of the recent news of Nedlloyd's merger with P&O, I and more
than
100 Indonesian seafarer colleagues demand Nedlloyd address our claims in
afair and just manner and not hide the problem behind the merger.
I worked as a seafarer for Nedlloyd Lines for 22 years, from 1972 to
1994,
with a long and distinctive service. Since May 1988, the company has
exploited us and violated labour agreements. Namely, I and my seafarer
colleagues signed an agreement for a trading vessel, but arriving at the
workplace, we found that it was instead a drilling rig in offshore
Angola.
The company employed us in offshore drilling for a period of 180 working
days.
In practice, we had to work non-stop for 12 hours per day, without
any days off (Sundays and or public holidays). This did not conform with
the agreement signed for the trading vessel, which stipulated the hours
of work for a day worker shall be eight hours per day Monday through
Friday, and four hours per day on Saturday.
The agreement that was signed by both parties was approved by the
Indonesian authorities and the Director General of Sea Communication
(Ministry of Communication ). But Nedlloyd intentionally made allowances
for ways to achieve its aims by misusing the said agreement, namely by
deceiving the Indonesian Seafarers Union and the Indonesian government
(Director General of Sea Communication ).
Whenever we took steps, we were always threatened with dismissal, and
this (dismissal) happened to some of our colleagues. I therefore had
think
of my wife and children and be patient, waiting for the right time to
act
on the matter.
We have requested the adjustment of our salaries as drilling workers
several times, because we have been employed as drilling crew from May
1988 to April 1994, but we received a seafarer's salary according to the
agreement signed by us.
When we tried to get Nedlloyd to address our claims, our requests were
disregarded and we were dismissed without notice.
Therefore, we tried to prosecute the company through many means,
including negotiations, appeals to the Dutch Embassy, appeals to the
Indonesian House of Representatives and the minister of foreign affairs,
and finally took the protest to the National Commission on Human Rights
on October 3 1996.
Many publications have exposed and followed our cause, including daily
Indonesian newspapers Suara Pembaruan, Merdeka, and Jakarta Post, as
well
as Bisnis Maritim and weekly magazine Gatra, and Industrial Worker of
the
World (IWW) (May 1996), plus ANTV (October 1996), SCTV (October 1996),
Indosiar TV 22 (November 1996).
I have also reported this matter to some British members of the European
Parliament and they have urged Nedlloyd to solve the matter, but
Nedlloyd
has disregarded this.
Despite all our efforts to reclaim what is owed to us by Nedlloyd and to
solve our problems, we have seen no result yet. We must now ask
ourselves,
is Nedlloyd Lines invulnerable to the law?
Of course, P&O may not know about how Nedlloyd exploited Indonesian
Seafarers. Before the merger, Nedlloyd sold its offshore drilling unit,
Neddrill, to Noble, and this is how Nedlloyd always avoids our claims.
Nedlloyd lawyers say that since Neddrill has been sold, Nedlloyd is not
responsible, but the agreements were made and signed by Nedlloyd.
We hope P&O will listen and bring this matter to Nedlloyd. Nedlloyd must
clear this matter and not hide behind the merger.
Henki Rumampuk
Crane Operator
Bekasi Jaya Indah Block B9 no.7
Jalan Wijaya Kusuma IV, Bekasi 17112, Indonesia
Telephone : 62 21 8815057 # 62 21 8804036
Fax : 62 21 8849300 # 62 21 8807198
http://www.crisny.org/not-for-profit/unions/indo-o96.htm
http://www.crisny.org/not-for-profit/unions/indo-1.htm
http://bombasto.informatik.rwth-aachen.de/oemf