Workers Protest Unpaid National Holiday Overtime

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indomaret workers are protesting a change in the overtime pay structure for national holidays, which is being replaced with compensatory leave days. The protest took place at the Indomaret Tower in Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK), Penjaringan, North Jakarta, on Tuesday, 26 May 2026.

Ahmad Saifudin, a worker from the Tangerang 2 branch, said employees reject the system of replacing overtime pay with leave days, deeming it detrimental to store staff. He added that the new scheme violates existing regulations. ‘We don’t want to work on national holidays and only get a day off instead of payment. The law clearly states we must be paid for working on public holidays,’ he said.

Winda Ayu Kisnanti, from the Tangerang 1 branch, stated the change was implemented in May 2026. ‘In May, we weren’t paid for overtime; instead, it was replaced with leave days,’ she told Kompas.com at the protest site. She emphasized that the lost overtime pay is crucial for workers to meet living expenses.

Gondo Sudjoni, Customer Relationship Management Executive Director of PT Indomarco Prismatama, said the company has not entirely removed national holiday overtime pay. ‘Some are compensated with leave days, while others still receive overtime payments,’ he stated during the protest. He explained the change was due to current economic conditions. ‘The global economic situation requires business balance. There must be equilibrium between rights and obligations,’ he added. He confirmed the company is mediating with workers at the Ministry of Manpower regarding the new overtime scheme. ‘This is currently being discussed at the Ministry of Manpower,’ he said.