Garment workers demand more money

BANDUNG: Employees of garment factory PT Biba Multi Jaya marched to the West Java provincial legislature to condemn a cut in their biweekly wages.

Ai, the spokesman for the employees, said the Rp 120,000 the workers had been receiving every two weeks had been cut to between Rp 60,000 and Rp 70,000, adding that the firm had not provided an explanation for the reduction.

"We do not have any other source of income. We need to know why our wages have been cut," Ai said, adding that he and his colleagues, mostly women, worked in the firm's finishing department.

He said he and his colleagues had asked the firm for an explanation, but the company, which manufactures Free and Free brand garments, failed to respond.

The workers urged the provincial legislature to summon the firm's management and order them to restore the workers' wages. (25/sur)