8,000 workers strike for meal allowance and wage increase

JAKARTA (JP): Some 8,000 workers of a shoe factory in Serang, West Java, went on strike yesterday, demanding that their meal allowance be increased from the current sum of Rp 800 (37 US cents).

"Out of that amount, we still have to pay a Rp 140 fee to the caterers. How can we get three, nutritious meals a day with the Rp 660 that is left?" asked one of the striking workers of PT Nikomas Gemilang.

The workers described how they still had to take overtime, as late as 10 o'clock at night and as often as 150 hours per month, with nothing to fuel them but low-quality meals.

The official maximum overtime is 56 hours per month.

The Antara news agency reported that the workers also demanded an increase of their daily wages, from Rp 2,600 (US$ 1.2) to the officially-set standard of Rp 3,600.

They also demanded that the company pay overtime compensation in accordance with government regulations, allow female workers to exercise their right for two days leave monthly, and improve operations at the company's local branch of the All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI).

The workers yesterday also used the occasion yesterday to press the company to fire, or "send home", foreign workers whom they alleged have been treating them badly. "We call on the authorities to pay serious attention to our conditions and demands," the workers said in a statement.

So far, the company's response has not been favorable. A manager admonished the workers for "holding an illegal strike" because it was not organized by the company's unit of SPSI.

Chairman of the Serang regency's office of SPSI Abdul Hanan, and chairman of the company's SPSI unit Rachmat Suryadi admitted that the workers failed to inform their offices about the strike. However, they promised that they would help the workers in pressing for their demands.

"We'll fight for them," the two union leaders said during the break of a discussion session with the company managers, workers and the Serang office of the Ministry of Manpower.

The strike went on peacefully and the workers dispersed three hours later. A worker said they were going to take two-days off starting tomorrow. (swe)