Samarinda – The struggle by workers to seek revisions to the provincial minimum wage (UMP) recommenced yesterday, Wednesday July 23. Hundreds of workers from the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) and the National Liberation Front (FPN) demonstrated in front of the East Kalimantan governor’s office on Jl. Gadjah Mada in the provincial city of Samarinda.

The groups were calling on the East Kalimantan provincial government to revise a decree on the 2008 provincial minimum wage, increasing it to 1,389,560 rupiah per month.

Although this is the eighth such action by workers, so far however their demands have yet to be met. “This is our eighth action, but it as if the government doesn’t want to listen to workers’ demands”, said action coordinator Phitiri Lari.

Lari said that they are calling on East Kalimantan governor Tarmizi A. Karim to immediately revise a 2008 decree on the provincial minimum wage before worker actions become anarchic. The workers are determined to continue fighting for these demands until they are granted. “Don’t wait until workers become anarchic and only then issue a decree,” he said.

According to Lari, the action will be continued on Thursday July 24 with the mobilisation of around 5,000 factory workers. Last night, they stayed overnight in front of the governor’s office in preparation for the mass action. “Five thousand factory workers will descend upon the East Kalimantan governor’s office tomorrow (today – Ed.)”, he explained.

The protests were triggered by a decision by the government and employers on Monday July 21 to postpone the approval of a revised minimum provincial wage on the grounds that they want to reassess the size of the wage increase. The only thing agreed to at the meeting was the formation of an ad hoc team to reassess the 2008 regional minimum wage which will become a reference for the revision process.

The East Kalimantan regional minimum wage for 2008 had previously been set at 815,000 rupiah per month. Workers however have rejected this because they consider it to be too small and unreasonable considering the current cost of living. Workers are demanding an increase of 70 percent to 1,389,560 rupiah per month.

According to Lari, the figure being demanded by workers is based on a number of factors including the price of basic commodities is a flow on from the recent increase in fuel prices. The fuel price hike resulted in the cost of living in East Kalimantan jumping by 100 percent. (kh)

[Translated by James Balowski. Koran Kaltim – East Kalimantan Daily Newspaper.]