E-Action: Support Fired PT Hasil Workers

A petition was recently posted on Change.org supporting 24 workers at P.T. Hasil Fastindo who were fired after protesting for the right to conduct Friday prayers.  The workers are members of the union Federasi Serikat Buruh Kerakyatan (FSBK)-Konfederasi Serikat Nasional (KSN).

You can read more about the case, in Indonesian, and sign the petition here.

HOSTUM Demonstration Takes Over Jakarta Streets

Thousands of members from various labor unions join a rally along Jalan M. H. Thamrin in Central Jakarta on Thursday to urge the government to improve wages and review its outsourcing policy. (Antara Photo/Ujang Zaelani)

From The Jakarta Post:

Massive labor protests involving tens of thousands of workers paralyzed parts of Jakarta on Thursday as demonstrators demanded a higher minimum wage and an end to unfair labor practices.

Thousands of protestors gathered at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout before marching to Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta, choking traffic along Sudirman and Thamrin avenues, as well as Jalan Abdul Muis, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat and Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara.

Other workers protested in front of the legislative complex, the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry, the Attorney General’s Office and the Health Ministry, forcing officials to detour traffic.

July 12: Day of Action To Reject Outsourcing & Low Wages

Konfederasi Serikat Pekerja Indonesia (KSPI) has declared July 12 a day of action to protest outsourcing and low wages.  You can read more about the action below:

Today, Tuesday 10^th of July 2012, Konfederasi Serikat Pekerja Indonesia (KSPI – Confederation of Indonesia Trade Unions) through its press release has been calling for a national action on 12^th July at three locations: the Coordination Ministry for Economic Affairs, State Palace, and Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration. The Confederation also calls for a similar action to be held simultaneously in 15 provinces and districts/cities across the country.  They call this national action movement HOSTUM (Hapus Outsourcing dan Tolak Upah Murah—stop outsourcing, fight against low wage). The HOSTUM will be the KSPI’s campaign agenda throughout this 2012.

This agenda is so important. KSPI said that fighting for better wage for all workers around the world has been the way for improving living standard of themselves and their family. In the other side, better wage is one of nation welfare measures in which the higher the people purchasing power the higher the economy will be. Decree of Manpower and Transmigration Ministry No. 17/2005 that has been a reference for a decent living needs (kebutuhan hidup layak—KHL) is no longer feasible, particularly its 46 components of a living needs and article on phasing-grade which results in even a single worker has to be “in debt” to meet her/his living needs.

Revision made by National Wage Council (Depenas) only recommends 4 additional components, which are: socks, belt, ironing, and deodorant. Therefore, KSPI through HOSTUM firmly rejects the recommendation because:

1. Results of Depenas’ research is invalid and academically flaw because the research takes only 3,000 respondents out of total 30 million workers or 0.01% for its sample. Worsen, only 726 (24%) of the sample is utilized and the research is not carried out in industry-density areas such as Batam, Tangerang, Bekasi, Jakarta Timur, Jakarta Utara, Kerawang, and Sidoarjo.
2. Indonesia is a country with rank of 16^th in terms of world GDP (US$ 840 billion or equal to Rp 7,560 trillion) in 2011. Its GDP per capita is US$ 3,600s/people/year in 2011 and in 2012 and 2013 the number is targeted to be US$ 900 billion and US$ 1 trillion. However, workers of this country only earn their wage worth to US$ 120/month, a small figure compared to other ASEAN counterparts: Philippine US$ 250/mothn, Malaysia US$ 350/month, Singapore US$ 450/month, Brunei US$ 500/month.

Therefore, addressing both the unreasonable revision and the continuation of “Low Wage Policy”, KSPI takes a stand as follow:

1. Demanding Coordinating Ministry for Economy Affairs and Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration to change Ministerial Decree  No. 17/2005, particularly to change its living needs components from 46 to 86 or 122 which is based on survey conducted by AKATIGA, SPN and Gartek KSBSI.
2. Urging Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration to issue the revised decree on July 2012 as its promise before the House of Representatives and in print and electronic media. Fulfillment of the promise will prevent the blockage of toll-road .

For further information, please contact President : Said Iqbal (08158235479) or General Secretrary Muhamad Rusdi (081807700570)

Translated by Indah Budiarti

5,000 Postal Workers Go On Strike

From The Jakarta Globe:

Roughly 5,000 members of state postal company Pos Indonesia’s workers union on Thursday launched a three-day strike to demand better pay and pension benefits, among other things.

The spokesman for the workers union (SPPI), Gibson S. Nababan, said in Jakarta on Thursday that post officers across the country were taking part in the strike, and that a considerable number of retired Pos Indonesia employees were supporting the action as well.

The strike participants are urging the board of directors of Pos Indonesia to meet six demands, including an increased proportion of base salary relative to overall take-home pay and an increased pension.

Gibson said currently, base pay constituted only 15 percent of the total take-home pay each Pos Indonesia employee received. The strikers want that proportion to be increased to 75 percent.

Pension payments, meanwhile, only amount to 45 percent of an employee’s salary at retirement, which is lower than the average civil servant retirees receive.

The SPPI is also speaking out against the company’s outsourcing practices, saying 30 percent of the Pos Indonesia workforce is now subcontracted. The union is demanding the implementation of better workplace safety precautions as well.

They are also demanding expanded employer-provided health care coverage and are protesting the most recent restructuring of the company. The strikers say the new structure has been a waste of money and has done nothing to improve employees’ welfare.