Drivers go on strike to demand fare hike
Drivers go on strike to demand fare hike
Kasparman and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Padang/Medan
Hundreds of public minivan drivers in Padang, West Sumatra went
on strike Monday, forcing thousands of students, civil servants
and other commuters to find other means of reaching their
destinations.
Nanggalo Transportation Cooperatives (Kopan) chairman Herman
Zen said the strike was aimed at forcing the city administration
to raise public transportation fares after the central government
decided to increase the price of fuel.
"We urge the city administration to heed our demands."
Herman said the Padang Transportation Office had promised
earlier to raise fares but reneged without giving an explanation.
The central government raised the price of diesel to Rp 1,750
per liter. The increase significantly reduced the drivers' income
as public transportation owners usually make the drivers pay for
either gasoline or diesel when they operate the vehicles.
"Public transportation owners are still demanding the same
daily fee. So, it is better for us to go on strike so that our
demands become clearer," said Agus, a driver plying the Padang
terminal-Siteba route.
According to Herman, Kopan's 318 members would continue to
strike until their demands were met by the city administration.
Public minivan drivers that went on strike on Monday were
those plying the routes Padang's city terminal to Siteba, Kampung
Kelawi, Simpang Haru, Teluk Bayur, Pengambiran and Nanggalo.
The Padang city administration did nothing to address the
transportation problem.
To make things worse, the strike was launched just as senior
and junior high school students were starting exams.
"We have to take a taxi otherwise we could not attend the
exams," said Yanti, a senior high school student in Padang.
"The mayor should have anticipated this by providing
alternative transportation," she added.
Unlike in the previous strikes, the drivers refused to bring
their demands to the Padang Legislative Council or Padang
Municipality.
"It is useless if we go there since the government will
unlikely grant our demand," Agus said.
Meanwhile, in Medan, North Sumatra, the Association of Public
Transportation Owners (Organda) demanded on Monday that the
government raise public transportation fares by an average of 60
percent.
"We urge the Medan administration to accept the proposed
increase because the drivers are already hard up with the fuel
increase," Medan Organda chairman O.K. Chaidir said on Monday.
Responding to their demands, Medan Mayor Abdillah told the
drivers not to increase fares immediately.
"The public transportation fares will definitely be raised but
not too high and should not be unilaterally decided (by the
drivers)," Abdillah said.