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Workers in Batam, Surabaya rally for wage increase
Around 2,000 factory workers from various trade unions in Batam, Riau Islands, held a rally at City Hall in Batam on Thursday, demanding that the municipality raise the 2015 city minimum wage to Rp 3
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round 2,000 factory workers from various trade unions in Batam, Riau Islands, held a rally at City Hall in Batam on Thursday, demanding that the municipality raise the 2015 city minimum wage to Rp 3.3 million (US$286), an increase of 45 percent.
Led by the Indonesian Metal Workers Federation (FSPMI), the workers have rallied several times since October.
'We demand a rise of 45 percent, around Rp 3.3 million, because workers will be severely burdened by the impact of the planned fuel price increases. We want the wage to be determined before Nov. 15,' FSPMI representative Suprapto told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
In response to the rally, Batam Mayor Ahmad Dahlan left his office on the fourth floor of the municipal office building to meet the workers.
'The 2015 minimum wage will definitely increase from the previous year. If this year it is set at Rp 2.4 million, I ensure you that next year it will be above the figure,' said Dahlan, to joyful shouts from workers.
He did not elaborate on the figure, but ensured that the minimum wage would still refer to the basic cost of living (KHL) survey, currently set at Rp 2.1 million monthly.
Dahlan vowed to immediately set the minimum wage and submit it to the Riau Islands governor for approval before Nov. 21, as regulated.
Meanwhile, the Riau Islands and the Batam chapter of the Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo) has requested the 2015 minimum wage be reduced to Rp 2.1 million.
Apindo Riau Islands chapter head Cahaya has said investors in Batam will only have the ability to invest if the 2015 minimum wage is set at Rp 2.1 million.
'The government should consider the impact of the fuel price increases. The mayor should also consider the condition of investors and not just workers,' said Cahaya.
- Workers in Batam demand city's minimum wage increase to Rp 3.3 million
- In Surabaya, workers demand 36% increase
- Apindo Riau Islands chapter says wage should be set at Rp 2.1 to encourage investors
Earlier, the workers demanded KHL components be raised from 60 to 84 items, which included newspaper and recreational allowances.
Based on data at the Batam Free Trade Zone Authority (BPK FTZ), the number of foreign investors stood at 588 companies, most of them moving in the electronic manufacturing industries. As many as 410 of them hail from Singapore, 52 from Malaysia, 23 from Taiwan and 19 from South Korea, while the rest are from other countries.
On Nov. 2, Riau Islands Governor HM Sani set the 2015 provincial minimum wage at Rp 1,954,000, or an increase of 17.35 percent from 2014's level of Rp 1,665,000.
In Surabaya, tribunnews.com reported that thousands of workers rallied at the Grahadi Building in Surabaya on Thursday afternoon.
They urged Mayor Tri Rismaharini, or Risma, to set the city's 2015 minimum wage at Rp 3 million, a 36 percent increase from Rp 2.2 million.
Rally coordinator Andi Pecie said Risma should set the Surabaya wage at Rp 3 million at minimum so workers and their families could live more comfortably.
'It's time the government pays attention to workers welfare. Don't make people, especially workers, be slaves in their own country,' Andi exclaimed.
After holding the rally for around 1.5 hours, at around 2 p.m. East Java Vice Governor Saifullah Yusuf met 30 worker representatives at the Grahadi Building.
