Who will follow the teachers?
Who will follow the teachers?
From Suara Karya
About 2,000 teachers under the Jakarta chapter of the
Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) last week staged a rally in
front of the State Palace in Jakarta and then did the same at the
House of Representatives. Their demonstrations were just like
those staged by students or factory workers. They shouted,
carried banners and streamers and also rode on motorbikes while
carrying placards.
These teachers had one single goal in mind for their
demonstration: to press for their demands with an implied message
that if they are not met they will take stronger action, such as
resorting to a strike. Anyone can easily understand the impact of
a strike. (It should be borne in mind that similar actions with
the same goal have also been taken by teachers in a number of
regions.)
It seems that the demonstration staged by Jakarta's teachers
was prompted by the government's policy to considerably raise the
allowances of government officials, a decision that will only
lead to a wider gap between superiors and subordinates and foster
social envy on the part of the latter toward the former. In this
respect, teachers are well aware of the effectiveness of a
demonstration. Even former president Soeharto had to step down
because of a mass demonstration.
The teachers are right. Their rally has made the National
Unity Cabinet propose that teachers' salaries be raised by 100
percent. Of course, in this case, the government will first have
to gain the approval of the House of Representatives.
However, one thing worries me. If one day the teachers do
enjoy a 100 percent salary increase, civil servants from other
sectors may also stage their own rallies to demand a raise in
their salary. Don't they, just like the teachers, have their own
jobs and responsibilities?
Therefore, I would like to propose to the government that the
salary of all civil servants be raised simultaneously, say by 50
percent, 75 percent or, perhaps, 100 percent. This way, social
envy among civil servants can be avoided. As it is clear that the
government will not have enough money for this simultaneous
increase, may I also suggest that the increase be put into effect
over a certain period of time. I believe that a civil servant
will not object to the increase being implemented over a
cumulative period of, say, five years. This may be a kind of
saving grace for them. When they receive the money, they can
purchase a plot of land or pay for a house by installments.
SIMSON MG
Jakarta