Thousands of workers strike, seeking wage rise

TANGERANG (JP): Over 5,500 workers from seven manufacturing firms went on strike yesterday, demanding wage increases and welfare improvements.

About 4,000 of the protesters worked at two ceramic companies here, PT Keramindo Megah Pertiwi and PT Satria Raya Keramindo Indonesia, which are located on Jl. Raya Serang, in Balaraja.

They held a rally along the street in front of the factories after the companies' security guards asked them to leave the factories' compounds.

Besides halting the factories' production activities, the strike also caused traffic jams.

One of the protesters said that activities at the factories had intensified lately but this had not been accompanied by better welfare for the workers.

"We asked for an attendance fee of Rp 22,000 a month, which has been omitted without any clear reason," the protester, who asked not to be named, said.

He said protesters demanded an increase in meal allowances and transparent payments and urged employers not to arbitrarily dismiss workers as happened recently when 200 workers were fired.

The companies' executives could not be reached for their comments.

About 700 of the remaining 1,500 protesters, who worked at spoon manufacturing company PT Tong Yang Moolsan Nusantara, demanded their minimum wage be increased from Rp 155,000 a month to Rp 172,500 a month.

Some 500 protesters from zipper company PT Fajarindo Faliman Zipper and wood processing company PT Bumi Indah Raya also went on strike, demanding their wages be increased.

The remaining 300 protesters were from bicycle company PT Diantindo Multi and food company PT Bumi Tangerang Coklat Utama. They demanded a salary rise in line with increases in staple food and fuel prices. (41/jun)