Alfamart's Answer Regarding 10% Salary Cut: This Is Not Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ilustrasi. (Foto: Alfamart)

JAKARTA - PT Sumber Alfaria Trijaya Tbk (AMRT) or Alfamart has opened its voice on the issue of cutting employee salaries by 10% based on the goods difference note system (NSB).

Corporate Affairs Director of PT Sumber Alfaria Trijaya Tbk, Solilhin, said that this implementation system isn't a new thing. He said that Alfamart had conducted socialization regarding the implementation of the NSB system to every employee at the beginning of the employee's tenure.

"During the training, they were told about this. We have told the employees about the work patterns, payroll patterns, rights, responsibilities patterns, and so on when they join Alfamart. In all retail there must be this NSB system," he said to VOI, in Jakarta, Thursday, August 6.

Solihin emphasized that this salary cut was not due to the impact of COVID-19 on Alfamart. The NSB system is implemented so that there are responsibilities from employees who come in direct contact with the stock of goods.  Whether it's warehousing employees or those who sell at mini markets.

"There are no salary cuts due to the pandemic. We are not that mean. We don't cut any employee rights nor pay late salaries, not even layoffs," he said.

The memorandum of difference in goods provisions requires retail employees to replace the difference in lost items with a salary deduction system. Usually, the difference in lost items will be known from the periodic stock audit process.

Solihin said that the implementation of the NSB system didn't mean that every lost item would always be borne by employees. On the other hand, there will be a salary deduction if the amount/value of the missing items exceeds the tolerance threshold that has been set for each shop.

The tolerance threshold varies in each store because the amount is adjusted to the size of the shop, the number of products, the location, the position of the employee, and so on. The difference in goods that is below the threshold will not be charged to employees.

The burden of deducting wages will be shared with store employees who are on guard when the goods are lost. The salary deduction can be paid in installments for several months to ease the burden on the employee concerned.

"The system was already there since I first joined the company 20 years ago. This is much lower than before. Now, the maximum is 10%, previously 30%. We know, the lost items aren't always due to the employees' fault. It could be because of shoplifting, or goods out of the warehouse 9 on invoice 10, and they are not careful. It could happen," he explained.

Solihin said that not all of its employee shops received a salary cut due to the NSB system. The reason is that they do not cross the tolerance threshold or because the employees are disciplined.

"The question: is there any shop that wouldn't cut the wages because of NSB? Yes. Maybe the employees are careful during the goods checking, and they are disciplined in checking the stocks," he said. 

Work Strikes Are Allowed

The Alfamart Workers Union Alliance (ASPAL) protested against Alfamart's policy of cutting employee salaries by 10 percent over the NSB system. The company took the policy without an agreement with the labor union. As a result, the strike action will take place from 11 to 13 August.

Responding to this, Solihin said that he didn't prohibit his employees from reconciling their feelings. As long as the action is in accordance with the rules and doesn't interfere with their work.

"Everyone is welcomed to express their aspirations. We don't prohibit it as long as they do it in the right way. Because employees have job responsibilities," he said.

In connection with the strike action, the management is also obliged to explain the tolerance, related to the NSB tolerance threshold to employees.

"Actually, it isn't anything new. I consider this maximum 10 percent figure to be much better than before," he said.