'If I demand too much I'm afraid I'll lose my job'

'If I demand too much I'm afraid I'll lose my job'

The current monthly minimum wage in Jakarta, Rp 591,000, will be
increased by 7 percent next year. The same minimum wage is
currently in place in the Tangerang municipality, where, though
not yet official, unions, employers and the local manpower office
have agreed to propose a 10 percent increase for next year. What
do the workers say?

Triyono, an employee at a foreign-owned company in Tangerang.
He is married with two children:

I have been working for five years and in total I receive Rp
670,000 a month.

Honestly, it is not enough to cover my monthly expenses.
Luckily, my wife works and she earns a larger salary so my family
is able to survive.

But now my wife has a tumor in her breast, which is forcing us
to spend lots of money on her medical care. Unfortunately, there
is no medical allowance (from my company).

I received a warning for missing work to take my wife to the
hospital. The company doesn't tolerate absences no matter the
reason.

Anyway, I guess the ideal minimum wage would be about Rp
800,000 a month because the living expenses here are high.

But I know the company will never listen to the voice of the
grass roots. Sometimes I feel it would be better for me to be
fired so I could collect my severance pay.

Narni, 28, has worked at a leading shoe factory in Tangerang
for 10 years. She is single:

A 7 percent wage hike is simply useless because of the
skyrocketing cost of basic needs, transportation, fuel,
electricity and other public services.

So what is the hike for if it does not cover the increase in
the prices of all of these things? I'm sorry to see that
conditions are getting worse.

My basic salary now is Rp 760,000 per month. If I work
overtime, I can get about Rp 500,000 extra.

Despite that, I don't have any money left for me because I
have to support my parents and (younger) siblings in Central
Java.

But the sluggish economy has cut back on the amount of
overtime at the factory. As far as I know, orders for exported
shoes have decreased.

I guess the ideal minimum wage would be Rp 1 million. But I
don't know whether it is possible for employers to pay that much.

Sanggup, 21, works at a ceramic manufacturer in Tangerang. He
is single:

I don't think the wage hike will have a significant impact on
my life because living costs will unavoidably rise on the back of
the increase.

I only earn Rp 640,000 a month without any allowances, but I
get lunch every day.

From that I have to pay about Rp 200,000 in rent for my house.
Plus I need some Rp 300,000 for my food for the month. The rest
is for miscellaneous costs.

I know it's not enough even for a single man like me. But if I
demand too much from the company, I'm afraid I'll lose my job.

Really, I'd be grateful to get Rp 800,000 in minimum wage. At
least I could save Rp 50,000 a month. But is it possible?

Yayuk, a souvenir shop attendant at Taman Anggrek Shopping
Mall, West Jakarta. She lives in Grogol, West Jakarta with her
parents:

I'm just happy to hear of the wage increase and hope that my
salary will be raised too.

So far I only receive Rp 400,000 a month. In fact, that amount
of money would not cover the expensive cost of living in this
city.

But, I manage to spend it carefully. Thank God that I stay
with my parents so I don't need to rent a house. But still, with
this salary I never save anything.

I dream of having a better job with more money so that I can
be self-reliant.

--Leo Wahyudi S.