City sweepers go on strike

Some 300 street sweepers hired by a private company in South Jakarta have been on strike since Sunday to protest the delay in the payment of their wages.

The sweepers said they had not yet received their wages for the last three months.

The demonstrations took place in front of the PT Mori Desa office, one of the four private companies that employs street sweepers in the mayoralty.

South Jakarta's assistant coordinator for economy and development, Mustari, was quoted by Antara as saying that the money for the salaries had already been made available and should be promptly given to them.

"You should ask the officials of the companies that employ the street sweepers," Mustari said.

The cleaning of city streets in South Jakarta is commissioned to private companies -- PT Mori Desa, PT Anggun Budi Lestari, PT Jonathan Bersaudara and PT GMT -- with a total monthly budget of Rp 200 million (US$92,721.3).

The sweepers are responsible for cleaning the Blok M area, the surrounding streets of the South Jakarta mayoralty, Jl. Sisingamangaraja, Mayestik market and the roads near Melawai and Bulungan sports complex.(mds)