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