Hundreds of workers demand better wages<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Around 300 employees of a garment factory in the
\nPulogadung industrial zone in East Jakarta staged a protest in
\nfront of the Ministry of Manpower here yesterday to demand better
\nwages and working conditions.<\/p>\n
The striking workers, mostly women, said they staged the rally
\nto inform Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief of the poor working
\nconditions at the factory, PT Arrego, and to push its management
\nto respect the workers' rights.<\/p>\n
Seven representatives of the workers were later received by
\nofficers of the Directorate of Labor Standards while the rest
\nwere forced by the police and military officers to leave the
\nministry complex.<\/p>\n
A military officer said they feared that the strike would turn
\ninto riot.<\/p>\n
The director of the Directorate of Labor Standard, Ceppi
\nAlwoei, told the seven delegates at the meeting that they could
\ngo to the local commission that handles labor conflicts to
\npresent their case.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Mursyiah, 39, one of workers who said she has worked
\nat the company for 13 years, told The Jakarta Post at the
\nministry compound, \"We have tried to negotiate a settlement with
\ncompany's management and have registered our complaints with the
\nofficials of the local Manpower Office, but no actions have been
\ntaken.\"<\/p>\n
She said that none of the workers who work on a daily-pay
\nbasis there have ever received transportation or meal allowances.<\/p>\n
\"We receive only the minimum daily wage of Rp 3,800 (US$1.60)
\nand that's all,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Mursyiah said that almost all of the factory's 600 workers
\nhave no other choice than to work overtime everyday for only Rp
\n500 an hour.<\/p>\n
She said she and her colleagues accept the pay, otherwise they
\ncannot make ends meet.<\/p>\n
Isroya, 40, another female striker, complained over the lack
\nof concern by officials of the government-backed SPSI labor
\norganization unit at the factory and the local office of the
\nmanpower ministry over their struggle, saying \"they may have been
\nbribed by the management.\"<\/p>\n
\"The SPSI officials should have joined us in this strike, but
\nthey did not; the local manpower ministry office has repeatedly
\npledged to help solve our problems but they have taken no
\nactions,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Isroya said she and her colleagues are primarily poorly
\neducated and have no skills whatsoever, still the management
\nshould not exploit them to earn bigger profits. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hundreds-of-workers-demand-better-wages-1447893297",
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