Protesters demand salary hike

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi: About 60 employees of radio paging company Starko Ujungpandang staged a protest on Thursday, demanding a salary increase of 50 percent.

The protesters said their present salaries had not kept up with the skyrocketing prices of basic commodities.

They said employees, who work 40 hours per week, were paid only between Rp 160,000 and Rp 250,000 per month.

During the protest at the company's office on Jl. Bulukunyi in Ujungpandang, employees unfurled banners, Antara reported.

The employees also demand daily meal allowances, health allowances and work insurance.

Muhammad Ali, an executive of the company, said the protest was not a problem because it was for the sake of improvement of the welfare of employees.

"But the company cannot fully meet all their demands," he said.