Workers Ask DKI 2022 Wages To Increase By 10 Percent, Deputy Governor: We're Still In A Pandemic, Many Entrepreneurs Are Having Difficult Situation

Labor demonstration (Photo: Diah Ayu/VOI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria responded to the demands of workers for the 2022 provincial minimum wage (UMP) in DKI Jakarta to increase by 10 percent from this year.

Riza admitted that his party would still consider the desire. He asked the workers to understand because the current COVID-19 pandemic is still hitting. According to him, there is still many businessmen's economic situation that is still not recovering.

"We'll see the situation. Right now it's still a pandemic. Of course, we'll also see the capabilities of entrepreneurs. There are many entrepreneurs now who are in difficult situation," said Riza at DKI City Hall, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, October 27.

Therefore, at this time Riza said the DKI Provincial Government would seek a fair wage formula, not only for one party, but also for workers and employers before determining the UMP next year.

"It's impossible for the government to want to win on its own, it's not good at will. Entrepreneurs want it that way, it's not good either. Or workers want it themselves, it's not good. Everyone will definitely sit together at one table to find the best solution," he explained.

For information, a number of workers who are members of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) and the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Union (FSPMI) held demonstrations in a number of provinces in Indonesia.

One of the actions was held in front of the DKI Jakarta City Hall, the office of DKI Governor Anies Baswedan. In this action, workers demanded an increase in the provincial minimum wage (UMP) 2022 to 10 percent.

In his statement, KSPI President Said Iqbal said the demand for a wage increase was determined based on a KSPI survey in 24 provinces in Indonesia using the components of a decent living requirement (KHL) for workers.

"From the survey, it was found that the most experiencing price increases was transportation, especially public transportation with very few pandemics operating so they switched to online transportation so that transportation costs rose sharply. The prices of basic commodities also increased by an average of 7-10 percent," said Iqbal.