Garuda Indonesia pilots end strike over pay

Garuda Indonesia ended a 24-hour strike on 28-Jul-2011 after receiving assurances that their concerns over higher pay given to foreign pilots will be addressed (Reuters/AFP/The Jakarta Post, 28-Jul-2011). Garuda Pilots Union CEO Stephanus Geraldus said State-Owned Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar had promised to intervene in order to reach a solution in the coming weeks. Nine of Garuda Indonesia's regular services from Palembang were delayed on 28-Jul-2011 as a result of the strike launched on the evening of 27-Jul-2011. Two domestic services, from cities in Sulawesi and Sumatra islands to Jakarta were also delayed. Union officials said Garuda has approximately 800 pilots, only 650 are union members. COO Ari Sapari stated the carrier deployed 130 back-up pilots to make up for the strike by approximately 200 pilots. It was not clear how many pilots joined the strike. Garuda's president director, Emirsyah Satar, said they had agreed that the issues in contention would be further discussed, adding that: "We will meet again during Ramadan to discuss the issues along with the minister and, hopefully, we will settle everything before Idul Fitri [Ramadan]."