The Reason Why Workers Reject The Ascension In The UMP 2023: Not In Accordance With Inflationary Values And Economic Growth!

Illustration of labor demonstrations against the increase in the 2023 UMP (Photo: Antara-Aprilio A)

YOGYAKARTA Labor parties and labor union organizations expressed their stance after seeing the increase in the Provincial Minimum Wage (UMP) in various regions, such as Banten which rose 6.4 percent, Yogyakarta 7.65 percent, East Java 7.85 percent, and DKI Jakarta 5.6 percent. In this regard, workers rejected the increase in the 2023 UMP.

So, why did the percentage increase in the 2023 UMP receive rejection from workers?

Reasons for Workers Rejecting the 2023 UMP Ascension

There are several reasons why workers refuse the increase in the 2023 UMP. One of them is because the increase in the 2023 UMP is still below the January-December inflance value, which is 6.5 percent plus economic growth in January-December which is predicted to reach 5 percent.

"The increase in UMP and UMK throughout Indonesia should be as much as inflation and economic growth in each province or district/city in the current year. Not using annual economic inflation and growth or Year on Year," said the President of the Labor Party who is also the President of KSPI in a written statement, quoted Tuesday, November 29, 2022.

Said Iqbal said, if using September 2021 data to September 2022, the increase in the 2023 UMP would not capture the impact of the increase in fuel oil (BBM) which resulted in the price of goods soaring. It is known, the increase in fuel occurred in October 2022.

Next, Said Iqbal highlighted the increase in the DKI Jakarta UMP 2023 by 5.6 percent. According to him, the increase shows that the Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta, Heru Budi Hartono, is not sensitive to labor life. He added that the increase of 5.6 percent was still below the value of inflation.

"We urge the DKI Governor's Officials to revise the increase in the DKI Jakarta UMP 2023 by 10.55 percent in accordance with what was proposed by the DKI Provincial Wage Council for labor union elements," he said.

Based on the harsh calculation by KSPI, the salary of Rp4.9 million is not sufficient to meet the needs of workers per month. Said Iqbal calculated that at least workers had to spend a number of routine costs such as renting a house of Rp900 thousand.

Then, workers can spend their daily transportation costs and socializing money with you reaches Rp900 thousand per month.

"Then eating at warteg 3 times a day with a daily budget of Rp. 40,000 costs Rp. 1.2 million a month. Then the electricity cost Rp. 400 thousand, the communication cost is Rp. 300 thousand, so the total is Rp. 3.7 million," said Said Iqbal.

Indeed, there is still a remaining Rp1.2 million per month wages. However, the needs of the workers are not enough there. They also have to pay the residents' contributions, buy clothes, and need water.

"Is it enough to buy clothes, drinking water, people's contributions, and various other necessities? So, with an increase of 5.6 percent, DKI workers are still poor," he said.

Based on the union's proposal at the DKI Jakarta Wage Council hearing a few days ago, they want the Jakarta UMP to increase by 10.55 percent next year.

Therefore, KSPI urged Heru to revise the increase in the DKI Jakarta UMP in 2023 by 10.55 percent, as proposed by elements of the labor union who are members of the Wage Council of DKI Jakarta Province.

Said Iqbal also threatened workers to hold demonstrations in Jakarta and various other regions again so that their demands were granted.

"If the demands above are not heard, starting next week there will be major actions in various regions throughout Indonesia to voice a wage increase of 10 to 13 percent," he explained.

This is information about workers rejecting the increase in the 2023 UMP. Update on the latest developments is only on VOI.id.