Labor activists urge hike in minimum wages<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): More than 50 labor activists from the Jakarta
\nbranch of the Federation of All Indonesian Workers Union (FSPSI)
\ndemanded Monday that the government increase monthly minimum
\nwages in Greater Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The labor activists, who failed to meet with Minister of
\nManpower Theo L. Sambuaga, filed their petition with Director of
\nLabor Standards Amrinal.<\/p>\n
The activists' spokesman, Aleksander Sinaga, told Amrinal the
\nminister's recent decision not to hike minimum wages was
\nlamentable.<\/p>\n
He said that with the current minimum wage of Rp 172,000
\n(US$21.50), there was no way workers could make ends meet as
\nprices had skyrocketed during the economic crisis.<\/p>\n
\"How can workers survive the crisis if their minimum wage is
\nnot paid,\" he said, adding that few employers in Greater Jakarta
\npaid their workers more than the government-set minimum level.<\/p>\n
When issuing his decree, Theo ruled out increasing the minimum
\nwages across the country due to the crippling monetary crisis.<\/p>\n
The minister had rejected the union's earlier demand that the
\ngovernment review the decision.<\/p>\n
The head of the Jakarta manpower ministry office, Sabar
\nSianturi, told The Jakarta Post Monday that it was impossible for
\nthe government to review the decree because it had been endorsed
\nby the National Tripartite Institution and that the economy had
\nnot recovered.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, the city's FSPSI chapter has backed the city
\nadministration's proposal not to raise the minimum wages for the
\nsame reasons,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The government will review the decree only when the crisis
\nends.<\/p>\n
Sabar added, however, that he agreed with calls that companies
\nwhich were not badly affected by the economic crisis should
\nincrease their workers' wages.<\/p>\n
Many export-oriented companies which are not badly hit by the
\ncrisis agreed to increase their workers' wages after intensive
\nnegotiations with their employees, he said. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/labor-activists-urge-hike-in-minimum-wages-1447893297",
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