Workers want wage hike by September

TANGERANG (JP): Thousands of workers belonging to the Tangerang chapter of the All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI) threatened on Friday to stage a massive rally demanding a wage hike starting next month.

The workers from the textile, clothes and food sectors demanded a hike for their minimum regional wage (UMR) from Rp 286,000 to Rp 344,000 (US$33.6 to US$40.5) per month.

"The workers feel the current wage is no longer sufficient to support their families. Most of them also have children of school age," chairman of the Textile, Clothes and Food Workers Union (SPTSK), Ade Kusnadi, told reporters.

"Staging the massive rally is our last resort if our demand for a wage hike is ignored," he said, citing that they would stage the rally at the West Java provincial building, locally known as Gedung Sate.

Ade said he had informed the Tangerang mayoralty of the planned strike.

"Mayor Muhammad Thamrin will let us air our aspirations as long as it is in line with the regulations," he said.

"We want to put pressure on the West Java Governor H.R. Nuriana by staging the rally so that he'll approve the hike. We believe the employers are able to pay the demanded wage," he added.

Ade was referring to a mayor-sponsored meeting with the Tangerang business community to discuss the hiked wage. As it turned out, the employers were able to afford an increase in wages.

It was reported that the demand was triggered by a decision from the Jakarta administration last month to hike the wages for Jakarta-based workers by September from Rp 286,000 to Rp 344,257.

Earlier in February, the Ministry of Manpower increased the minimum wage from Rp 231,000 to Rp 286,000 for Jakarta-based workers. The policy took effect in March. (41/nvn)