Wage up by 38.7% for Jakarta in 2002<\/p>\n
Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta tripartite wages committee has agreed to recommend
\na 38.7 percent increase in the minimum wage for workers in
\nJakarta and the Greater Jakarta area in 2002, marking an increase
\nfrom the current minimum wage of Rp 426,250 to Rp 591,266.<\/p>\n
The Secretary General of the Reformed All-Indonesia Workers
\nFederation (SPSI Reformasi) H.M. Rodja said the recommendation
\nwas a 2002 New Year's gift from workers to employers.<\/p>\n
He said that it (the wage raise) was akin to a gift from
\nworkers as they deserved to get a much higher raise even though
\nthey had not demanded it.<\/p>\n
\"It's a gift but not entirely without strings. We need them
\n(employers) to in return help us create what we call harmonious
\nindustrial relations between employees and employers,\" Rodja
\nadded.<\/p>\n
\"Although I agree with the recommendation, I have to say that
\nthe figure is still far from enough if we take the inflation
\nrate, the basic needs of workers, and the soaring prices of basic
\nstaples and consumer goods into account,\" Rodja told The Jakarta
\nPost on the sidelines of a discussion on labor and the media on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
The tripartite committee consists of representatives from
\nlabor unions, employers and officials from the Ministry of
\nManpower.<\/p>\n
Previously, such standardized wage rises were known as
\nregional minimum wages, or UMR (Upah Minimum Regional), and were
\ndetermined solely by the Ministry of Manpower.<\/p>\n
Due to the implementation of regional autonomy in January, the
\ncentral government has lost its power to determine minimum wages
\nand instead they are set by the provincial tripartite wages
\ncommittees in the provinces and then approved by the respective
\ngovernors.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta tripartite committee's recommendation will be
\npresented to the Jakarta administration on Wednesday. \"We want
\nthe government and the employers to see that this represents an
\nact of self-restraint on the part of workers as we understand the
\ndifficulties presented by the current economic crisis,\" Rodja
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, an employer who was close to the process of
\ndrafting the recommendation but refused to be identified, said
\nthat the planned increase in the minimum wage was not final as
\nemployers and the labor unions were still divided over the issue.<\/p>\n
The source said employers had only agreed to raise the minimum
\nwage by up to a maximum of 15 percent, while the labor unions
\nwere asking for more than 20 percent.<\/p>\n
\"A 15 percent increase is already hard for us. You can imagine
\nif they ask for more than 20 percent. I'd rather not comment on
\nthat,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked about the plan to bring the recommendation before
\nthe Jakarta administration on Wednesday, he said, \"We'll see, the
\ngovernment is not blind. They (the administration) too have their
\nown calculations which will give a win-win solution for employers
\nand workers, and recognize that we are all in trouble because of
\nthis economic crisis.\"<\/p>\n
The provincial minimum wage is valid only for new employees
\nand workers with zero work experience, while other workers
\nalready employed in firms are paid above the minimum wage level.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wage-up-by-387-for-jakarta-in-2002-1447893297",
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