Workers Union Protest Lack of 2022 Minimum Wage Increase

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Laborers in the capital city have voiced their disappointment after the Jakarta administration increased the average provincial minimum wage to no more than 1.09 percent for 2022. 

The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) president Said Iqbal on Wednesday noted that the increase does not align with the increasing living costs.

He gave an example of Jakarta’s minimum wage increase which will be around Rp37 thousand monthly starting next year, which can be broken down to Rp1,300 daily. 

“We pay Rp2,000 to use toilets, meaning we must shell out Rp700 [to cover the deficit],” said Iqbal in a Youtube conference on November 24. 

He highly condemns the small increase that does not correspond with the inflation labor workers are feeling. “This is very malicious. Manpower Ministry working together with black businesses to set cheap workers,” he added.

Said Iqbal claims that  governors and regents who intend to increase workers’ wages are threatened or sanctioned by the Home Affairs Ministry, which has fueled workers’ protests against the policy and also intends to report the Indonesian government to the International Labour Organization (ILO) over the low minimum wage increase.

“What’s weird is that the Manpower Minister and accompanied by the Home Affairs Minister, Politics, Law, and Human Rights Coordinator Minister, Attorney General’s Office, gathered governors, regents, and mayors to explain that the minimum wage rule must align with central government,” he claims.

Read: Minimum Wage Increased by Rp37,000; Anies Baswedan Vows Labor Welfare Programs

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