TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - At least 1,000 labourers from Serpong, South Tangerang, marched towards South Tangerang Mayor's office - echoing the national labour strike that has been held across the Greater Jakarta region and Banten province.
Protesters marched from Serpong to the Mayor's office on motorcycles and cars, wearing the attributes of their respective workplaces while carrying flags and symbols of labour unions.
"We are here to protest and reject Decree No. 78 of 2015 on Wages that makes our yearly wage increases contingent upon inflation rates," said the Head of the Confederation of All-Indonesian Workers' Union (KSPSI) in South Tangerang, Dahrul Lubis, on Tuesday, November 24.
The minimum wage for South Tangerang labourers currently stands at Rp2,7 million. Under the new scheme, labourers stand to receive Rp3 million in 2016. "We demand a minimum wage of Rp3,2 million in 2016 - a 25 percent increase compared to this year's wage," said Lubis.
According to Lubis, South Tangerang labourers will be coordinating with representatives from South Tangerang City's Administration in order to get their demands noticed by the central government. "We plan to meet South Tangerang's Mayor to convey our demands - hopefully we can get a solution as soon as possible," he said.
Based on Tempo's observation, labourers are still congregating and demonstrating in front of South Tangerang City's Administration Office on Jl. Siliwangi in Pamulang. Traffic congestion caused by illegally parked motorcycles have been observed and diversions are currently in place.
MUHAMMAD KURNIANTO
