Levi Strauss's decision draws various reactions

Andreas Harsono

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA (JP): The decision of San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co., the manufacturer of Levi's and Dockers brand clothing, to stop its contract with the Jakarta-based PT Duta Busana Danastri garment factory has drawn various reactions from a number of experts here. 

Frans Hendra Winarta, a noted lawyer, praised the action as proving that an American company can have a commitment to establishing workers' rights despite a profit-oriented policy. "It will set a good precedent."

Levi Strauss stops contract with Danastri

Andreas Harsono

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA (JP): The San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co. has decided to stop placing orders with the Jakarta-based PT Duta Busana Danastri garment factory, which it believes has ignored guidelines on worker rights.

Senior manager David Samson, in a statement faxed to The Jakarta Post yesterday, said that his company has a commitment to ensure that workers are treated respectfully.

Levi Strauss & Co. is the manufacturer of Levi's and Dockers brand name products. 

As part of this commitment, Levi Strauss & Co. has traditionally shared with its contractors a set of rules that outline their expectations, he added. 

"We seek to work with contractors who obey local laws, respect workers' rights and provide a safe and healthy work environment," Samson says.

However, recent labor troubles at PT Duta Busana Danastri have shown that the company did not abide by the guidelines, thus forcing the American company "to take quick action" by terminating its contract with the Indonesian company.

Yesterday, approximately 80 workers continued their protests against the management by asking the National Commission on Human Rights to mediate a three-way meeting between the workers, the management, and the Ministry of Manpower to solve the six-month-old labor dispute.

Garment workers seek help from human rights commission

Andreas Harsono

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA (JP): Thirty-four workers of the PT Duta Busana Danastri garment factory called on the National Commission on Human Rights yesterday to influence the management to treat them fairly.

"The management forces us to work at night under day-time conditions. We demand that the management provide us with extra food and transportation facilities," Siti Nurrofiqoh, the spokeswoman for the protesters, said.

Nurrofiqoh, 25, said the workers need extra food to stay healthy and transportation from home and back again when they work the night shift because most of them are women.