Soekarno-Hatta airport porters seek better payment

Soekarno-Hatta airport porters seek better payment

JAKARTA (JP): About 1,000 workers, mostly porters, at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport are demanding that PT Indonesia National Air Service improve its working conditions and salaries.

Agus Sartono, who heads the company's chapter of the All- Indonesia Workers Union Federation, said, "The dismissal system, transportation, food allowances and salary classifications need to be reviewed by the management."

Sartono said yesterday that the airport service company has ignored the workers' demands, which were submitted last April.

He said that instead of giving warnings the company instantly dismisses porters who are found guilty of not turning in the Rp 750 fee that passengers pay to have their bags carried.

"If they find that a porter is guilty, they should give first or second warnings instead of just firing him," he said.

Porters are obliged to submit to the management all baggage handling fees they receive from passengers.

"Three porters were dismissed by the company last month for not handing in their fees," he said.

The company's spokesperson, Sofyan Sory, confirmed the dismissal yesterday. Sory told The Jakarta Post that warnings had been given to the workers. "They had made serious mistakes," he said.

According to Agus Sartono, the union is now defending one of the men, who has worked for the company for 11 years and needs the job badly.

"If our consultations with the management fail, we will bring the matter to the manpower ministry," he said.

The workers also are demanding an additional Rp 3,000 ($1.4) in daily food and transport allowances, on top of their current Rp 4,600 daily salary, which is the government-set minimum wage.

"The company only raises the salary when the minimum salary is increased," Sartono said.

He said that the company has turned down their salary demands because the workers receive between Rp 5,000 and Rp 10,000 from the fees collected by the management per day, in addition to their main salary.

"Fees are different from allowances. They deserve to get back some of the fees because they work hard," he said.

The workers also have complained that the company does not differentiate between junior and senior porters.

"My salary after 20 years is the same as that of someone with only six years of service," porter Sarkaya said.

Sartono said that even though the baggage handling fee was increased from Rp 500 (U.S. 30 cents) to Rp 750 per bag last April, their working conditions still have not improved.

"The baggage fee paid by the customer was raised, but the management has not improved its allowances or its facilities," he said.

The company plans to increase the fee to Rp 1,000 next month, when the new minimum wage of Rp 5,200 comes into effect, he said, adding that the workers will even then continue with their demands. (03)