Batam workers demand 30% wage hike

Batam workers demand 30% wage hike

BATAM, Riau: Workers on industry bonded Batam island proposed
an increase of 30 percent to their minimum wage in the 2002
fiscal year.

Netty Herawaty, the chairwoman of the local chapter of the
Federation of All-Indonesia Workers Union, said the local
administration should increase the regional minimum wage by at
least 30 percent to Rp 700,000 from the current Rp 510,000 to
meet workers' basic needs.

"The workers' welfare on the island will remain in a bad
position as long as the local government maintains the current
remuneration system and does not control the price of basic
commodities," she said here on Thursday.

Netty warned that labor conditions would remain poor unless
the local administration and the investors made a commitment to
improve the workers' social welfare.

She said many workers had become prostitutes at hotels and on
the street for additional income. --Antara