Lowest UMK In East Java, Hundreds Of Workers Protest At Situbondo Manpower Office

SITUBONDO - Demonstrations were carried out by hundreds of workers in Situbondo Regency, East Java. They held their action in front of the local Manpower Office to reject the amount of their district/city minimum wage (UMK) which was recorded as the lowest in East Java.

In addition to the UMK issue, they also protested several companies related to THR payments that were not in accordance with the Situbondo Regent's circular.

Hundreds of workers who are members of the Situbondo Muslim Labor Union (Sarbumusi) and other labor unions also highlight the welfare of workers through social security promised by the Situbondo Regent, and demand that local governments proactively resolve companies that violate the rules.

"There are still many companies in Situbondo that pay workers under the UMK, there is even one company that does not pay a salary of up to three months," said Deputy Chairman of the DPC Sarbumusi Situbondo Taufik to reporters on the sidelines of the 2024 Labor Day (May Day) action, in Situbondo, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 1.

He said there were several middle and upper-middle companies that were still paying wages below the UMK, namely between Rp. 1.6 million to Rp. 1.8 million, while the Situbondo UMK in 2024 was Rp. 2,135,000.

Regarding the payment of holiday allowances (THR), continued Taufik, there are also a number of companies that pay under one salary and do not heed the circular letter of the Situbondo Regent, there are even companies that give or pay THR to their workers only Rp. 50,000 and Rp. 100,000. "This must be resolved," he said.

Meanwhile, companies that violate the rules, said Taufik, the government must also be proactive, because one company called the giant company has detained one of the female employees for up to four days.

However, the case of holding an employee by the company at the end of 2023 has been investigated by the two parties by the police and there has been no follow-up until now.

"Another demand is the promise of the Regent of Situbondo on the commemoration of Labor Day in 2023, namely the welfare of workers through social security," he said.

Meanwhile, the Regional Secretary (Sekda) of Situbondo Regency, Wawan Setiawan, explained that the local government is a facilitator between workers/laborers and companies or mediate between the two.

Regarding the UMK, he said, there have been processes and mechanisms for the procedures and determination of the price and cost of living for each person, so that from all of them it was combined and decided by the UMK.

"Well, when the UMK is too high it is also not good for the company. When the company is unable to pay, the company will close," he said.

Regional Secretary Wawan conveyed that the Situbondo UMK amounted to Rp2,135,000 for workers or laborers who were eligible for living needs in Situbondo Regency.

"We have also sent letters to companies that pay THR not according to local government circulars. The Head of the Manpower Service is also monitoring it," he said.

Based on data obtained by ANTARA, until 2024, there are around 12 thousand workers/workers in Situbondo who work in micro companies, small companies and upper-middle companies.