12.03.08

109 Contiki Employees Protest Dismissal

Posted in Bali Hotels at 7:25 am by Administrator

109 Contiki Employees Protest Dismissal
Contiki Hotel Owner Resisting Severance Payment to Employees During Management Company Change-Over.

Bali News: 109 Contiki Employees Protest Dismissal
(11/24/2008) Radar Bali reports that 109 employees of the Contiki Resort Bali are facing an uncertain future following their termination. As reported on balidiscovery.com in August of 2007, [Contiki Resort in Bali to Close] the youth market positioning and Contiki branding , of the 133-room Resort are set to end. Reports from the owners indicate the 18-35 year-old only configuration of the property never managed to capture its anticipated market share in Bali.

In the process of being re-launched as The Breezes Resort and Spa under its new managers PT Mount Batten Indonesia, 109 former employees of Contiki have had their employment terminated.

Under Indonesian law, employment termination in must be a negotiated process between the worker, the employer and the government Manpower office. According to Radar Bali, the terminated employees are refusing to accept dismissal and appealing for arbitration mediated by the Bali Manpower office. Discussions between the Resorts owners and the terminated employees on November 10, 2008, ended in an impasse. The discussions, held at the Denpasar Manpower office, between the 3 representatives of the hotel’s management and 10 members of the workers’ union were held behind closed doors while hundred of workers and sympathizers waited outside the building.

The 109 employees are asking the government to compel the Hotel’s owners to continue their employment or, at the very least, pay full termination benefits as stipulated under Indonesian labor law.

The owner of the property, Made Wiranata, is reportedly arguing that he is “only” the owner of the building and the land, and that the management of the resort was contracted to a third party. The Balinese owner is presumably contending that the rights and responsibilities of the hotel’s staff are the responsibility of the outgoing managers.

Union representatives are not accepting the owners arguments, claiming the operational licenses or the property are held by the owner and that many members of the senior management, in fact, remain unchanged under the re-branding from Contiki to The Breeze Resort & Spa.

Three-party discussions between the terminated workers, the owners and the Manpower office continue.

Garuda Set to Receive New Airplanes Starting in 2009

Posted in Bali Airport, Bali Government, Bali Sightseeing, Bali Tourism Board at 7:16 am by Administrator

Garuda Set to Receive New Airplanes Starting in 2009
Boeing Order Book has 50 New B737-800NG for Garuda Indonesia.

Bali News: Garuda Set to Receive New Airplanes Starting in 2009
(11/30/2008) Garuda Indonesia will be taking delivery of brand new Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft in May 2009.

The Vice-President of Garuda, Pujobroto, said the new airplanes are the first delivery of 50 “new generation” B737-800s on order by the Indonesian national carrier from the Boeing factory in Seattle, Washington (U.S.A.).

The Garuda official said that the new aircraft would be deployed on domestic and regional routes from Indonesia to Australia, China and Hong Kong. He also told the press that the new airplanes can fly for approximately 5 hours using 18% less fuel that their predecessors in the B737 series.

The current order book with Boeing covering the first 25 of the 50 new airplanes for Garuda provides for the delivery of 8 new planes in 2009, 10 in 2010, 5 in 2011 and 2 in 2012.

The new Garuda airplanes will be configured with 12 business class seats and 168 economy class seats. Each passenger will have access to a personal TV console allowing the choice from a range of entertainment and game channels.

11.28.08

More Flights from Hong Kong to Bali

Posted in Bali Airport, Bali In General at 7:07 pm by Administrator

More Flights from Hong Kong to Bali
Garuda’s Plans to Increase Flights from Hong Kong to Serve Booming Chinese Market.

Bali News: More Flights from Hong Kong to Bali
(11/24/2008) In partial response to strong demand from the mainland Chinese market, Garuda Indonesia have announced their intentions to launch new services from connecting Hong Kong with Bali and Surabaya in 2009.

To be operated on brand new Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft slated to join the national carrier’s armada next year, the new services acknowledge the key role of Hong Kong as a regional air hub for China and the rest of the world.

Exact dates and details of frequencies have yet to be revealed for the new Hong King services expected to commence by mid year and, to some extent, will be dependent on the developing global economic situation.