Bus crew workers put brakes on call for strike
JAKARTA (JP): Public transportation crews rejected on Monday a call for a mass strike aimed at pushing the city administration to agree to a hike in bus fares.
Members of the crews, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that a strike was not a solution to the problem and would ultimately hurt their earnings.
"Such a call for a mass strike will, as usual, only benefit members of the board of management of the association of public transportation operators," said a driver of a Kopaja minibus plying the Manggarai and Blok M area in South Jakarta.
He vowed to reject calls to join the strike, including if there was an instruction from the Kopaja management. Kopaja is a cooperative of minibus owners in the city.
"I would only join them if they (the cooperative) threaten me or pay me compensation for my losses for one day of joining the strike."
In the past, he said, those who refused to participate in a work stoppage were intimidated and their vehicles vandalized by strikers.
A driver's assistant said that going on strike would only cause him personal losses.
"I once joined a strike... What I got in return was that I lost my income for the day," he said.
"Now I will only join such a strike if its goal is purely for the welfare of the crews."
A group of bus owners, drivers and conductors made the call for a strike during a visit to City Hall last week. They argue that a fare hike is needed to cover the sharply cost of spare parts.
The city administration previously proposed a Rp 200 increase for minibuses and regular, express (Patas) buses, minibuses and air-conditioned Patas buses. However, it insisted the fare hike could only take effect after the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in November.
Bus drivers and owners contend the increase must be implemented soon.
Owners of minibuses also rejected the call to go on strike.
An owner of six Kopaja minibuses said the city administration should provide a subsidy for vehicle owners to purchase spare parts.
"Almost all bus owners now practice 'cannibalism', exchanging spare parts among their vehicles, just to keep their business running," he said.
Another minibus owner said the practices were so common that an engine serial number sometimes did not match what was written on the license.
Johannes Damanik, operational director of the Metro mini minibus firm, said the plan to conduct a mass strike would be decided after bus operators met the City Council on Tuesday.
"We'll hold the strike this week if the City Council's response is unsatisfactory," Damanik told The Jakarta Post on Monday after a meeting of executives from at least 14 bus firms.
Executives from bus firms, including Kopaja, Himpurna, ARH, Mayasari Bhakti and Koantas Bima, are also expected to attend Tuesday's hearing, he said. (ind/jun)