Bus drivers to strike

Bus drivers to strike

JAKARTA: Employees of state bus company Perum Damri have
threatened to hold a national strike if its management did not
comply with labor regulations.

Federation of Public Transportation-Indonesian Prosperity
Trade Union (FTA-SBSI) secretary-general Andy William Sinaga,
said on Tuesday Perum Damri management had failed to conform with
government regulation No. 26/2001 on salaries.

"There is a gap. State city bus company PPD's base pay for
level II employees is Rp 825,000 (US$88.91) while Damri's is only
Rp 325,000," he said.

Sinaga said many Damri employees had to retire five years
earlier than the government's minimum age of 55 years. The
company had also intimidated its employees against establishing
or joining the trade union, he said.

FTA-SBSI representatives from Bali, East Java, West Java, and
Jakarta held a demonstration at Perum Damri's central office in
East Jakarta on Tuesday. They plan to take their demands to
several government ministries on Wednesday. -- Antara