Hundreds of workers demand better wages

Hundreds of workers demand better wages

JAKARTA (JP): Around 300 employees of a garment factory in the
Pulogadung industrial zone in East Jakarta staged a protest in
front of the Ministry of Manpower here yesterday to demand better
wages and working conditions.

The striking workers, mostly women, said they staged the rally
to inform Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief of the poor working
conditions at the factory, PT Arrego, and to push its management
to respect the workers' rights.

Seven representatives of the workers were later received by
officers of the Directorate of Labor Standards while the rest
were forced by the police and military officers to leave the
ministry complex.

A military officer said they feared that the strike would turn
into riot.

The director of the Directorate of Labor Standard, Ceppi
Alwoei, told the seven delegates at the meeting that they could
go to the local commission that handles labor conflicts to
present their case.

Meanwhile Mursyiah, 39, one of workers who said she has worked
at the company for 13 years, told The Jakarta Post at the
ministry compound, "We have tried to negotiate a settlement with
company's management and have registered our complaints with the
officials of the local Manpower Office, but no actions have been
taken."

She said that none of the workers who work on a daily-pay
basis there have ever received transportation or meal allowances.

"We receive only the minimum daily wage of Rp 3,800 (US$1.60)
and that's all," she said.

Mursyiah said that almost all of the factory's 600 workers
have no other choice than to work overtime everyday for only Rp
500 an hour.

She said she and her colleagues accept the pay, otherwise they
cannot make ends meet.

Isroya, 40, another female striker, complained over the lack
of concern by officials of the government-backed SPSI labor
organization unit at the factory and the local office of the
manpower ministry over their struggle, saying "they may have been
bribed by the management."

"The SPSI officials should have joined us in this strike, but
they did not; the local manpower ministry office has repeatedly
pledged to help solve our problems but they have taken no
actions," she said.

Isroya said she and her colleagues are primarily poorly
educated and have no skills whatsoever, still the management
should not exploit them to earn bigger profits. (rms)