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.