PPD bus crews go on strike, leaving thousands stranded<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
About 2,000 bus drivers, conductors and other employees of state-
\nowned Djakarta Transportation company (PPD) went on strike on
\nMonday morning, causing thousands of commuters to be left
\nstranded at bus stops and stations during rush hour.<\/p>\n
Many people were late for work as they had to find alternative
\ntransportation. But in the afternoon, the situation was back to
\nnormal as most PPD employees ended the strike and went back to
\nwork.<\/p>\n
In the morning, thousands of commuters were seen waiting for
\nbuses at a number of bus stops and terminals, such as Pulo Gadung
\nin East Jakarta, Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta, Pasar Minggu in
\nSouth Jakarta and Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Some commuters waited almost an hour before they realized the
\nPPD buses they usually took to work were not running.<\/p>\n
"I had waited for more than half an hour before I realized
\nthat something went wrong," Ineke, an employee at a private
\ncompany on Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta, told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
She said that she usually paid Rp 3,500 in bus fare on the
\nair-conditioned PPD buses, which she caught near her house on Jl.
\nGajah Mada in West Jakarta. But on Monday she spent more than Rp
\n16,000 for a taxi.<\/p>\n
PPD's management apologized to commuters for the numerous
\ninconveniences caused by the strike.<\/p>\n
PPD business director Jun Tambunan said the company operates
\n480 buses every day. He said that not all the bus crews wanted to
\ngo on strike, but they were forced to comply.<\/p>\n
Jun claimed bus operations were back to normal at about 1 p.m.
\nHe also guaranteed that there would not be a strike on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
There are two trade unions in the PPD: the All-Indonesia
\nWorkers Union (SPSI) under the leadership of Minister of Manpower
\nand Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea, and the Indonesian Prosperity
\nTrade Union (SBSI) under the leadership of Mochtar Pakpahan.
\nMonday's strike was organized by the SBSI.<\/p>\n
During the strike, PPD employees held a demonstration in front
\nof the Ministry of Finance and at the offices of State Minister
\nfor State Enterprises in Lapangan Banteng, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
They were demanding at least the minimum monthly wage for
\nworking in the city, which is Rp 596,266.<\/p>\n
"I have been working here for 25 years, but my monthly take-
\nhome pay is only Rp 250,000. How can I afford a life for my five
\nchildren?" Sumaji said.<\/p>\n
Since it was founded in early 1985, the company has not been
\nefficiently run. The government failed to bring the company up to
\nstandards as the ratio of employees to vehicles is about ten to
\none, which is far from the ideal figure.<\/p>\n
PPD currently has some 5,000 employees while there are less
\nthan 500 buses on its fleet.<\/p>\n
"How can PPD be a healthy company if 10 people are responsible
\nfor one bus?" the spokesman for the Land Transport Directorate
\nGeneral, J.A. Barata, told The Jakarta Post on Monday, adding
\nthat the normal ratio should not be more than five to one.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, head of the City Transportation Agency Rustam
\nEffendy claimed that the PPD bus strike did not significantly
\naffect transportation in the city.<\/p>\n
He said that some 70 city buses from various private companies
\nin the city were deployed to ply the routes usually served by PPD
\nbuses.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ppd-bus-crews-go-on-strike-leaving-thousands-stranded-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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