Some busway drivers mull quitting over pay gripes

Some busway drivers mull quitting over pay gripes

Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Several of the new busway drivers were overheard whining on
Saturday over their salaries from PT Jakarta Express Trans (JET)
-- the consortium of five bus operators that operate the
TransJakarta Busway -- and may quit their jobs if their demands
for better payment are not addressed.

"We demand that the entire amount, Rp 2,010,000 (US$239), be
our total guaranteed take-home pay or we will simply go back
working for each of our old bus companies," said Matrin, one of
the drivers, who along with his fellow drivers were waiting at
the busway's Pinang Ranti bus pool in East Jakarta on Saturday
for their shift to start.

The drivers have not signed their work contracts with PT JET
and are still technically employed by their former bus companies.

As explained by Matrin, each driver is supposed to receive a
basic salary of Rp 700,000, plus an additional professional
stipend of Rp 150,000 and a family stipend of Rp 200,000.

Then the drivers will get Rp 40,000 per shift, resulting in a
total take-home pay of less than Rp 2,010,000 per month if they
miss any of their 24 shifts in a month.

"With the unclear schedule for our shifts and several buses
not operating, there is a good possibility that we will not work
all 24 shifts," said another driver, Ricardo Hutagalung.

Seven of the 56 buses have suffered damage in the first three
days, from their hydraulic folding doors to air conditioners to
handrails.

The drivers, therefore, demanded that the Rp 960,000 (24 x Rp
40,000) shift allowance be included as their guaranteed take-home
pay and that they be given an additional Rp 30,000 for each shift
they work.

"I don't think we're asking for too much. We are experienced
drivers, who usually receive that amount from our former bus
companies," said Ricardo.

Should PT JET accept the new conditions, it would mean a net
maximum of Rp 2,730,000 per driver.

Some of the drivers claimed that they could earn between Rp
2.5 million and Rp 3 million when working as regular buses
drivers.

Ricardo was also concerned over the possibility that PT JET
might let the unsatisfied drivers leave if they want to.

"They can try hiring bajaj (motorized pedicab) drivers if they
want to but they must admit that we are the only drivers that
have been trained to drive the busway buses," he said.

Commenting on the complaints and demands from the drivers, PT
JET's operational director, Payaman Manik Raja, who was also at
the bus pool, said that he had forwarded the demands to the
company's board of directors but could do nothing more as the
final decision would be made by the directors.

Manik, however, explained that for the time being, the drivers
were getting extras like bottled drinking water and meals during
their eight-hour shifts traveling along the 12.9-kilometer busway
corridor from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in West Jakarta.

"We are also considering a meal break for them during their
shifts," Manik said.

The proposed idea is that the drivers take a break for their
meals at one of the shelters, while other drivers temporarily
replace them for one lap. The shelter would possibly be at the
Kota shelter as a portable toilet has already been provided
there.

A dormitory for the drivers will also be built at the Pinang
Ranti bus pool, said Manik, to enable drivers finishing the night
shift to rest there if they like.