Cleaners complain of being underpaid

Cleaners complain of being underpaid

JAKARTA (JP): Employees of cleaning service firms who work at
City Hall have complained that they are paid far less than the
minimum wage set by the city administration.

"I have been working at City Hall for almost three years, but
my salary is still Rp 220,000 a month," one cleaner, who asked
not to be named, told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

The father of two children said he relied on tips from
councillors or other officials as his salary was not enough to
feed his family.

Some other cleaning service employees said that they were paid
between Rp 180,000 and Rp 240,000 a month without transportation
or other allowances.

The official monthly minimum wage for Jakarta workers is Rp
426,000 (US$47.3).

Hundreds of employees working for 13 cleaning service firms
currently clean the 24-story City Hall and the four-story City
Council building.

Councillor Tadjus Sobirin of the council's Commission E for
welfare affairs said that some cleaners had often approached him
to complain about their low salary.

Tadjus, who is former chairman of Golkar's city chapter, urged
the administration to order the firms to pay their employees
according to the regulations.

"It's inhumane. The administration should handle its own
affairs better, such cleaning service employees," Tadjus told
reporters.

Commenting on the issue, the city's General Affairs Office
head Margani said later in the day that city administration might
cancel its contracts with service firms found paying their
employees less than the official minimum wage.

He said that before signing a contract, the administration
always required firms to pay their employees according to the
government regulation.

"We could review the contracts or, next year, not ask them to
clean City Hall if we find them paying their employees
unsatisfactorily," Margani said.

According to Labor Law No. 14/1969, the owner of a company
found guilty of paying less than the minimum wage is subject to a
maximum Rp 100,000 fine or three months in prison.

The regulation, however, appears to be ineffective because of
weak enforcement and the small fine.

Last year, a new labor law was enforced, but it was shortly
withdrawn for revision following protests from workers as the law
was said to favor employers.(jun)