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Workers to rally for higher wages
Jakarta Post - September 26, 2014
Aside from demanding the minimum wage rise, KSPI head Said Iqbal said that the marching workers would demand more generous health and pension rates, adjustments to the basic commodities index and the rejection of the government's plan to raise fuel prices.
"There will be a total of 100,000 workers protesting in 20 cities. About 50,000 of them will come from the Greater Jakarta area," Said said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.
October 2 will see demonstrators gather in front of City Hall, the Presidential Palace and the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry.
Said revealed that a number of demonstrators would also protest in front of the House of Representatives as a "gift" to the new government, added that if lawmakers did not comply with the workers' demands, they would hold a national strike in November.
"If the government is to take part in the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, they have to raise the minimum wage rates of workers outside of the Greater Jakarta area. You cannot compare the rates with those in Cambodia or Vietnam," he added.
The minimum wage for workers in Jakarta is currently Rp 2.4 million (US$199.8) a month. Jakarta Governor and president-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo raised the minimum wage to Rp 2.4 million from Rp 2.2 million earlier this year.
However, workers in Sukabumi, West Java and Boyolali, Central Jakarta, earn a minimum of only Rp 900,000 and Rp 800,000, respectively. (dyl/nfo)
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