Drivers go on strike to demand fare hike<\/p>\n
Kasparman and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Padang\/Medan<\/p>\n
Hundreds of public minivan drivers in Padang, West Sumatra went
\non strike Monday, forcing thousands of students, civil servants
\nand other commuters to find other means of reaching their
\ndestinations.<\/p>\n
Nanggalo Transportation Cooperatives (Kopan) chairman Herman
\nZen said the strike was aimed at forcing the city administration
\nto raise public transportation fares after the central government
\ndecided to increase the price of fuel.<\/p>\n
\"We urge the city administration to heed our demands.\"<\/p>\n
Herman said the Padang Transportation Office had promised
\nearlier to raise fares but reneged without giving an explanation.<\/p>\n
The central government raised the price of diesel to Rp 1,750
\nper liter. The increase significantly reduced the drivers' income
\nas public transportation owners usually make the drivers pay for
\neither gasoline or diesel when they operate the vehicles.<\/p>\n
\"Public transportation owners are still demanding the same
\ndaily fee. So, it is better for us to go on strike so that our
\ndemands become clearer,\" said Agus, a driver plying the Padang
\nterminal-Siteba route.<\/p>\n
According to Herman, Kopan's 318 members would continue to
\nstrike until their demands were met by the city administration.<\/p>\n
Public minivan drivers that went on strike on Monday were
\nthose plying the routes Padang's city terminal to Siteba, Kampung
\nKelawi, Simpang Haru, Teluk Bayur, Pengambiran and Nanggalo.<\/p>\n
The Padang city administration did nothing to address the
\ntransportation problem.<\/p>\n
To make things worse, the strike was launched just as senior
\nand junior high school students were starting exams.<\/p>\n
\"We have to take a taxi otherwise we could not attend the
\nexams,\" said Yanti, a senior high school student in Padang.<\/p>\n
\"The mayor should have anticipated this by providing
\nalternative transportation,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Unlike in the previous strikes, the drivers refused to bring
\ntheir demands to the Padang Legislative Council or Padang
\nMunicipality.<\/p>\n
\"It is useless if we go there since the government will
\nunlikely grant our demand,\" Agus said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Medan, North Sumatra, the Association of Public
\nTransportation Owners (Organda) demanded on Monday that the
\ngovernment raise public transportation fares by an average of 60
\npercent.<\/p>\n
\"We urge the Medan administration to accept the proposed
\nincrease because the drivers are already hard up with the fuel
\nincrease,\" Medan Organda chairman O.K. Chaidir said on Monday.<\/p>\n
Responding to their demands, Medan Mayor Abdillah told the
\ndrivers not to increase fares immediately.<\/p>\n
\"The public transportation fares will definitely be raised but
\nnot too high and should not be unilaterally decided (by the
\ndrivers),\" Abdillah said.<\/p>",
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