4,500 workers in Medan demand higher wages, bonus

4,500 workers in Medan demand higher wages, bonus

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

Some 4,500 workers from 24 companies launched a strike here on
Monday demanding better pay, fair treatment of layoff victims and
higher Idul Fitri bonuses.

The striking workers, employed by companies operating in the
nearby areas of Tanjung Morawa, Binjai, Mabar and Belawan, staged
a rally at the North Sumatra governor's office. The workers,
grouped under the Forum for All-North Sumatran Workers Unions,
held the rally under the coordination of the Medan Independent
Workers' Union.

The presence of the workers at the governor's office compound
kept the office's security guards and police officers busy,
especially after some of the workers tried to forcibly enter the
office to meet Governor T. Rizal Nurdin.

Erika Rosmawati, Secretary General of the Medan Independent
Workers' Union, told The Jakarta Post that they rejected the
governor's decree on the provincial minimum wage of Rp 464,000
(US$45.5) and demanded that the minimum wage be based on a decent
standard of living of Rp 1,023,876 or at least on the standard of
subsistence of Rp 709.876 a month.

The workers also demanded that concerned agencies and
institutions handle lay-off cases fairly and humanely. She did
not elaborate, but said there were 1,700 lay-off cases at the PT
Riza Mitra Garmen Factory, 530 cases at PT Glovindo, 100 cases at
PT Industri Tata Cemerlang, 3 cases at PT Sumatera Rotaindo and 1
case at PT DMIOP.

The workers, according to Erika, also demanded that they be
given an Idul Fitri bonus equal to two months salary.

"If the government and the businessmen do not respond to our
wishes, then we will encourage all elements of the workers unions
in this province to hold a massive strike," Erika said.

Erika further said that they were very disappointed at the
gubernatorial decree fixing the minimum wage at Rp 464,000,
"because the decision had never been discussed with them. None of
the workers belonging to this workers union forum has been
invited to discuss the minimum wage problem," she said.

Erika also criticized the Provincial Wage Council for not
informing the workers forum about the new minimum wage.

Meanwhile, Thoga Sitorus, the secretary of the wage council,
confirmed that they had not discussed the minimum wage with the
forum. "We discussed it only with the sanctioned workers unions
that have their principal organizations," Sitorus, who is also
the acting chief of the North Sumatra provincial office of the
Ministry of Manpower, said.

Regarding the minimum wage of Rp 464,000, Sitorus said that
the amount was equivalent to the subsistence standard of living.
"The wage council initially proposed only Rp 453,000 for the
minimum wage to the governor. So, the governor's decision to
raise it to Rp 464,000 is much fairer," he said.

Sakhyan Asmara, spokesman of the provincial administration,
said that the amount of the minimum wage was arrived at after
discussions with various parties, including employers and
workers. "The decision had also been approved by the provincial
legislative council," he added.

Commenting on the incident, Sitorus said that the workers had
the right to stage a strike. "But if the strike was launched
without the consent of the companies, then it was in violation of
Law No. 22/1957 on labor disputes. Their companies could take
action against them, like cutting their salaries," he said.