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ANGERANG: Thousands of workers at a garment factory in Tangerang went on strike to demand a Rp 200,000 (US$21.80) increase of their monthly wages.

“Our wages only ended up being raised by Rp 30,000. That’s a meaningless change. It might as well have never happened,” said Abdul Rohim, a tailor who has worked at the company, PT Starnesia Garment, for two years.

“As a result of that small wage rise, we’re being asked to put together 40 items of clothing every 30 minutes, instead of the usual 28 in 30,” he said on Thursday.

The workers said they wanted to be paid Rp 1,529,000 per month.

Another worker, Nurbaeti, said that thousands would continue striking until their demand was fulfilled.

Meanwhile, the management, whose employees have had their wages raised by Rp 900,000, forbade journalists from doing any reporting inside the factory, which makes jackets and trousers, kompas.com reported.