Hundreds of Labors Demanding USMP Ratification

April 08 2014 10:33 PM 2072
Reported by Erna Martiyanti | Translated by Isa Efriadi

Hundred of labors from various organizations and confederations hold demonstration in front of City Hall, Tuesday (4/8). In their action, the labors are demanding Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to immediately sign Governor Decree (SK) about Province Sectoral Minimum Wage (UMSP). They demand so because the ratification is already behind schedule.

We have 87 sectoral and have been left without explanation for four months. We want Jokowi to immediately sign the Governor Decree about USMP

Chairman of Indonesian Automotive Workers Federation (FSPOI), Ben Ismed, said the USMP was supposed to be ratified four months ago in January. “We have 87 sectoral and have been left without explanation for four months. We want Jokowi to immediately sign the Governor Decree about USMP,” he asserted.

According to Ismet, his party had met Vice Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) about this matter. At that time, they were promised the USMP to be ratified in March at the latest. “Ahok promised the ratification would be in the end of March until beginning of April,” he disclosed.

If until this afternoon there is still no clarity about USMP ratification, Ismet threatened that labors will stay the night in City Hall on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta. “We will force it (USMP ratification to be clarified) today. We’ll spend a night if we had to, because tomorrow is election day,” he stated.

In addition, Ismet told that Jakarta is already left behind from four regions that have ratified USMP, namely Bekasi, Depok, Tangerang, and Bogor. That is why the labors are demanding Jakarta Provincial Government to clarify the ratification of USMP with 5-18 percent increase from the 2014 UMP (Province Minimum Wage) in the amount of Rp 2.4 million.

This demonstration action had caused traffic congestion on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan. While the labors were orating, Jokowi was not in the City Hall.