Garment factory workers seeking salary increases<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Garment factory workers are demanding that their
\ncompanies not only raise the minimum wage but that salaries be
\nbased according to seniority, said the head of the Bekasi chapter
\nof the All Indonesia Workers Union (SPSI).<\/p>\n
\"So far we have received delegates from five companies to
\ndiscuss the salary increases,\" Abu Bastari told The Jakarta Post
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
After receiving a 20-member delegation, who represented 200
\nfellow workers at the PT Hanin garment company, Abu said the
\ngroup was the fifth to have come to his office to discuss the
\nproblem.<\/p>\n
The previous four were delegations from the Sungitex, Karintex
\nand Shintatex garment factories and from the Tong Yang shoe
\nfactory, he said, adding that slow business in the garment
\nindustry, especially last year, is beginning to cause many
\nworkers to be concerned about their futures.<\/p>\n
Three garment factories in Bekasi, 30 km southeast of here,
\nclosed down last year, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The bankruptcy has scared many garment labors who believe
\nthey will suffer the same fate or that the company will fail to
\nincrease their salary according to the new minimum wage
\nregulations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that based on last year's experience a minimum wage
\nincrease should be followed by proportional wage increase for
\nsenior workers.<\/p>\n
Abu said that the workers earning the minimum wage got the
\nraise but that many companies failed to provide additional
\nincreases for long-time workers based on their seniority.<\/p>\n
The failure provoked protest rallies at 40 percent of all 600
\ncompanies in Bekasi last year, he added.<\/p>\n
After last year's 21 percent wage increase for Jakarta and its
\nsurrounding areas, including Bekasi, the government is now
\nconsidering another wage hike.<\/p>\n
The SPSI recently proposed an minimum salary increase from Rp
\n4,600 (US$2.00) to Rp 5,300 for the greater Jakarta area. The
\norganization also announced that it would propose an increase of
\nbetween 10 and 20 percent for all provinces.<\/p>\n
Kusnadi, the spokesman of the worker delegation, told the SPSI
\nchapter leader yesterday that PT Hanin had so far paid their
\nsalaries and provided the proper facilities.<\/p>\n
\"However, SPSI advised us as to how we should channel our
\ndemands regarding a proportional salary increase and bonus after
\nthe new minimum wage is implemented,\" he told the Post.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Employers Association said last week that the
\nminimum wage increases of the last two years have been so
\nburdensome for many companies that some have had to postpone
\nmaking the increase.<\/p>\n
The association has urged the government to take into
\nconsideration the company's ability to pay the new wage increase
\nput forward by SPSI in its proposal. (03)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/garment-factory-workers-seeking-salary-increases-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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