Workers protest minimum wage

Workers protest minimum wage

BOGOR (JP): Some 60 workers of a garment company staged a
rally on Monday demanding an increase in salary, which is still
below the government-set minimum wage.

Workers of soccer uniform producer PT Budi Mustika Garment,
who marched from the factory on Jl Roda Sukasari to the Bogor
Council building on Jl. Kapten Muslihat, said that besides a low
salary, they had also not received any overtime.

Protest coordinator Iwan Ridwansyah said the workers had
staged protests since Dec. 16. "Now we are protesting again
because city councilors promised us last Friday to take us to a
meeting with the factory owner."

The protesters were received by two council members, Agus Joko
Mulyono and Eman Sulaeman.

Iwan told the two councilors that their daily wage was only
between Rp 3,000 and Rp 4,000 for a 12-hour working day starting
at 6 a.m.

"And we have not received any overtime," he said, adding that
a regulation recently enacted entitles each worker to Rp 9,000
per day if they reach a daily production target of 700 pieces of
clothing.

Whereas the workers can produce only 300 to 400 pieces a day,
he said.

Besides a low salary, workers also complained about the owner
who always scolded them on unclear grounds.

The owner of the company, Yosef, said he had met all the
workers' demands, including paying overtime.

"The reason of the protest is because the company says they
should submit their identity cards and a letter of good conduct
from the police to complete their personal records," Yosef said.

Iwan acknowledged that the workers refused to fill the
requirement. (ind/21)