AJI Padang Launches Religious Holiday Allowance Complaint Post to Advance Media Worker Rights in West Sumatra
The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Padang has officially launched a complaint office for religious holiday allowance (THR) payments to advance the fulfilment of media worker rights in West Sumatra.
During the launch of this complaint office, a public discussion was held featuring Firdaus Firman, Head of the West Sumatra Provincial Labour and Transmigration Office, as the primary speaker, alongside Aulia Rizal, Director of the Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) Padang.
AJI Padang Chairperson Novia Harlina stated that the organisation has formally opened the complaint office ahead of Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah in 2026. This office represents the organisation’s commitment to ensuring the fulfilment of normative rights for media workers, mirroring similar initiatives across AJI branches nationwide.
“We know that every year before religious holidays, the issue of holiday allowances remains a problem experienced by many media workers. Some receive their allowances late, some receive amounts not in accordance with regulations, and in some cases workers receive nothing at all,” she said plainly.
According to Harlina, THR is a worker right regulated through Government Regulation Number 36 of 2021 on Wages and Minister of Labour Regulation Number 6 of 2016 on Religious Holiday Allowances, which stipulate that companies must pay the full amount without instalments.
The regulations also emphasise that THR payment must occur no later than seven days before a religious holiday.
THR is also mandatory for both permanent and contract workers who have worked for a minimum of one month continuously. For workers with 12 months or more of service, the THR amount equals one month’s full salary.
For workers with less than 12 months of service, THR is calculated proportionally according to length of service.
“This also includes regulations for contributors and freelance workers, with THR distribution determined by specific schemes,” she emphasised.
Through opening the THR Complaint Office, AJI Padang aims to provide a space for media workers experiencing THR payment issues to lodge complaints. These reports can subsequently serve as grounds for workers to report matters to the labour office in their respective areas.
Additionally, incoming reports provide important records for AJI to map employment conditions in the media sector and to campaign awareness about continued violations of media worker normative rights by companies.
For AJI, press freedom cannot be separated from journalist welfare. Journalists working without adequate welfare guarantees certainly face various pressures in carrying out their journalistic duties.
Meanwhile, West Sumatra Labour Office Head Firdaus Firman emphasised that workers’ freedom to form or join trade unions is guaranteed by law.
He explained that this right is regulated in Law Number 21 of 2000 on Trade Unions. The regulation states that companies cannot obstruct workers forming trade unions. If a company prevents this, such action can be categorised as a criminal offence.
According to him, the existence of trade unions is important for strengthening worker positions in advocating for their rights.
“If workers struggle alone, their struggle can be slow and weak. That is why workers need to unite in one organisation—a trade union—to have a stronger bargaining position,” he said.
Beyond freedom of association, the Labour Office Head also addressed worker rights to religious holiday allowances. He noted that THR provisions are regulated in Minister of Labour Regulation Number 6 of 2016.
The regulation states that THR must be paid no later than seven days before a religious holiday.
Workers who have worked for one year or longer are entitled to receive THR equivalent to one month’s salary. Meanwhile, workers with less than one year of service receive THR calculated proportionally, with service period divided by 12 months, then multiplied by the wage amount.
He also explained that wage components forming the basis of THR calculation include basic salary and fixed allowances.
According to him, what is most important is ensuring that existing regulations are properly implemented by companies.
“The regulations are actually sufficiently clear. What needs maximising is field supervision and implementation to ensure worker rights are genuinely fulfilled,” he said.
On this occasion, he also emphasised that employment relationships must be clear, including through employment contracts or work agreements.
Employment contracts, he stated, are important for providing legal certainty for both workers and companies, as they outline the rights and obligations of both parties.
If employment disputes arise, resolution can occur through industrial relations mechanisms beginning with bipartite negotiations between workers and companies. If agreement is not reached, the matter can be mediated by the Labour Office through an industrial relations mediator.
He added that the Labour Office maintains mediators tasked with facilitating resolution of disputes between workers and companies.
“We at the Labour Office are ready to help mediate if employment problems arise. Workers can report if their rights are not fulfilled by their company,” he said.
LBH Pers Director Aulia Rizal explained that normatively, regulations concerning worker protection are actually quite comprehensive in Indonesia. Various employment regulations address fundamental worker rights, from employment contracts, wages, working hours, to religious holiday allowances (THR).
According to him, in an employment relationship there are three main elements: work, wages, and instructions from the employer. If all three elements are fulfilled, then workers are entitled to protections under law.