'I skip breakfast, ride free on train to survive'<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso has signed the decree for a new minimum wage
\nfor next year amounting to Rp 631,000 per month, which is a 7
\npercent raise from the current wage of Rp 591,000. How do people
\nsurvive with such an amount of money? The Jakarta Post talked to
\nsome of the workers.<\/p>\n
Abdul, not his real name, 20, an employee of PT Resik
\nCemerlang cleaning service company for three years. He is
\ncurrently assigned to work as a gardener at the Forestry
\nMinistry's Manggala Wanabakti building in Central Jakarta:<\/p>\n
I'm glad to hear the 7 percent wage hike. At least I can hope
\nfor a better income next year.<\/p>\n
However, I cannot deny the fact that my company only pays me
\nsome Rp 485,000 net a month, which is far lower than the regional
\nminimum wage, isn't it?<\/p>\n
Worse still, the company never gives the employees any
\ntransportation and meal allowances and gives no clear reasons.<\/p>\n
I share a rented house in Pondok Ranji area, Tangerang, with a
\nfriend and we have to pay Rp 170,000 monthly rent fee per month.
\nI force myself to save Rp 100,000 per month so as to be able to
\ngo home for Idul Fitri to my hometown in Central Java.<\/p>\n
When I started working here, I only received Rp 210,000 a
\nmonth. With that small amount of money, I learned to skip my
\nbreakfast.<\/p>\n
I am now used to working without having breakfast and I only
\nspend Rp 6,000 for both lunch and dinner.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, I don't have to spend any money for
\ntransportation expenses as I manage to get a free ride on the
\ncommuter train every day.<\/p>\n
I wonder if my company will increase my wage next year.<\/p>\n
Perhaps we should stage rallies to demand the wage hike.<\/p>\n
Budiono, 23, a security officer at a private bank on Jl.
\nPalmerah, West Jakarta, for three years. He lives in Batusari,
\nWest Jakarta, with his parents:<\/p>\n
I'm glad to hear about the plan to increase the minimum wage
\neven though it is not enough to improve my life as a poor man.<\/p>\n
Worse still, I'm sure all prices will increase following the
\nhike. So, the hike means nothing.<\/p>\n
At present I earn the regional minimum wage of Rp 591,000 per
\nmonth. I have only a little money left because my regular
\nexpenditures come to about Rp 500,000 a month.<\/p>\n
Luckily, I can earn extra income from the parking lot from
\ntips which come to around Rp 300,000 per month.<\/p>\n
It really helps me. You know I also need to have fun with
\nfriends.<\/p>\n
I think the ideal minimum wage in the city is Rp 800,000.<\/p>\n
Lami, 23, has worked at a garment factory in Tangerang for two
\nyears. She lives in Bermis, Kutajaya, Tangerang with her friends:<\/p>\n
The wage hike will not be enough for me even though I know it
\nall depends on how you handle your finances.<\/p>\n
At the moment, I get Rp 700,000 a month, which is the regional
\nminimum wage and a transportation allowance.<\/p>\n
My rent is Rp 250,000 and food for the month comes to Rp
\n300,000. I also need to buy new clothes and make-up. Saving is
\njust a dream for me as I usually have nothing left over after my
\nexpenses.<\/p>\n
Sometimes I get a little extra from doing overtime, even
\nthough I start work at 7:30 a.m. and finish at 9:00 p.m. It's
\nexhausting but that's the only way to survive here.<\/p>\n
I'm just afraid that the new wage will be followed by a new
\nquota at the factory. Normally, our sewing department should put
\nout 100 pairs of trousers in an hour. What if they increase the
\nload to 200 pairs after the wage hike? That would drive me crazy.<\/p>\n
I just hope that won't happen to me.<\/p>\n
Hermawan, 28, a bellboy of a three-star hotel in Slipi, West
\nJakarta. He has been working for three years. He lives with his
\nparents in Bekasi:<\/p>\n
The 7 percent wage hike is not meaningless to me, but I mean
\nto say that it won't help us much amidst the recent economic
\ndownturn in our country.<\/p>\n
One thing for sure is that all prices for public services and
\nbasic needs will be skyrocketing following the hike.<\/p>\n
So, you see that a little wage hike is far from enough unless
\nthere is a new policy to increase the provincial minimum wage to
\nRp 1 million. That's what I would call a decent wage hike.<\/p>\n
I cannot imagine that the wage could help a family with
\nchildren survive. I'm single but I find it hard to survive with
\nthe recent minimum wage.<\/p>\n
-- Leo Wahyudi S<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/i-skip-breakfast-ride-free-on-train-to-survive-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }