PPD bus crews go on strike, leaving thousands stranded
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
About 2,000 bus drivers, conductors and other employees of state- owned Djakarta Transportation company (PPD) went on strike on Monday morning, causing thousands of commuters to be left stranded at bus stops and stations during rush hour.
Many people were late for work as they had to find alternative transportation. But in the afternoon, the situation was back to normal as most PPD employees ended the strike and went back to work.
In the morning, thousands of commuters were seen waiting for buses at a number of bus stops and terminals, such as Pulo Gadung in East Jakarta, Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta, Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta and Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta.
Some commuters waited almost an hour before they realized the PPD buses they usually took to work were not running.
"I had waited for more than half an hour before I realized that something went wrong," Ineke, an employee at a private company on Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post.
She said that she usually paid Rp 3,500 in bus fare on the air-conditioned PPD buses, which she caught near her house on Jl. Gajah Mada in West Jakarta. But on Monday she spent more than Rp 16,000 for a taxi.
PPD's management apologized to commuters for the numerous inconveniences caused by the strike.
PPD business director Jun Tambunan said the company operates 480 buses every day. He said that not all the bus crews wanted to go on strike, but they were forced to comply.
Jun claimed bus operations were back to normal at about 1 p.m. He also guaranteed that there would not be a strike on Tuesday.
There are two trade unions in the PPD: the All-Indonesia Workers Union (SPSI) under the leadership of Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea, and the Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (SBSI) under the leadership of Mochtar Pakpahan. Monday's strike was organized by the SBSI.
During the strike, PPD employees held a demonstration in front of the Ministry of Finance and at the offices of State Minister for State Enterprises in Lapangan Banteng, Central Jakarta.
They were demanding at least the minimum monthly wage for working in the city, which is Rp 596,266.
"I have been working here for 25 years, but my monthly take- home pay is only Rp 250,000. How can I afford a life for my five children?" Sumaji said.
Since it was founded in early 1985, the company has not been efficiently run. The government failed to bring the company up to standards as the ratio of employees to vehicles is about ten to one, which is far from the ideal figure.
PPD currently has some 5,000 employees while there are less than 500 buses on its fleet.
"How can PPD be a healthy company if 10 people are responsible for one bus?" the spokesman for the Land Transport Directorate General, J.A. Barata, told The Jakarta Post on Monday, adding that the normal ratio should not be more than five to one.
Meanwhile, head of the City Transportation Agency Rustam Effendy claimed that the PPD bus strike did not significantly affect transportation in the city.
He said that some 70 city buses from various private companies in the city were deployed to ply the routes usually served by PPD buses.