Bimoli employees demand higher wages

Bimoli employees demand higher wages

JAKARTA (JP): At least 1,300 workers from two factories owned
by PT Inti Boga Sejahtera, the makers of Bimoli cooking oil,
protested against their employer on Monday, demanding a rise in
their salaries.

The workers, in Pluit, North Jakarta, and Sunter, Central
Jakarta, demanded their wages be increased by between 60 percent
and 70 percent, claiming the wage rise had been denied for two
years.

"That is why we small people dare demand such a high salary
rise" said an employee, who requested anonymity.

Contacted by telephone, the company's public relations manager
Mimi Siregar Hussein said the demand by the workers, who began
demonstrating at the Pluit factory at 9 a.m., was too high.

Mimi said the company, which was part of the diversified Salim
group, actually gave a 20 percent to 25 percent rise in wages
every January.

"The raise depends on two factors: the inflation rate and the
merits of the factory worker," she said.

"Each worker will get a rise calculated according to his
yearly appraisal, usually set between 20 percent and 25 percent
every year. Even if his yearly appraisal is extremely bad, for
instance, he will still get a marginal raise... say of 10
percent."

She said that due to the economic crisis, the company, like
other businesses in the country, had gone through a very rough
time.

"The company's management will take time to determine a
suitable percentage for the raise. We will definitely raise their
salaries this year," Mimi said.

She said the lowest-paid workers received a monthly salary of
Rp 250,000 (US$33.33). (ylt)