"In 2019, we demand an increase to around Rp 4.48 million," Wido Pratikno, chairman of the Indonesian Metal Workers Federation, said on Sunday as quoted by tempo.co.

He said that the increased wage would be sufficient for to provide an appropriate standard of living for workers in the city. 

Wido also said that talks with the Depok Wage Council had collapsed with the issuance of Government Regulation No. 78/2015 on labor wages.

Wido said the talks had resulted in a recommendation that the Depok mayor had signed, but that its implementation had ended once the 2015 regulation was issued.

"The 2015 regulation has prevented the right of labor unions to negotiate [on behalf of workers] from being fulfilled, because the wage is set by the central government," he said. 

Depok Mayor Mohammad Idris and Depok Social and Manpower Agency head Diah Sadiah have yet to respond to the union's demand.

Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri stated earlier that the government had determined the rate of next year's regional minimum wage increase at 8.3 percent, referring to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS).

The BPS data calculates national inflation at 2.88 percent and economic growth at 5.15 percent to total a wage increase of 8.03 percent.

Hanif said he had disseminated the information to regional heads that were obliged to announce next year's wage increase on Nov. 1. (sau)

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