The Cianjur minimum wage must be raised so that people's purchasing power also increases.Cianjur, West Java (ANTARA) - The head of Cianjur district, West Java, has expressed his support for laborers seeking an increase of 21 percent in the district minimum wage (UMK) next year.
"We as regional leaders support the proposed wage raise as long as it follows existing regulations," Herman Suherman remarked in Cianjur on Saturday.
He affirmed the salary raise is meant for the welfare of the Cianjur people.
"In fact, we will immediately discuss with the office and regional organizations (OPD) regarding the demand," he added.
He said his team will quickly calculate the wage based on existing rules so that no violations happen.
Agencies and OPDs such as the Cianjur Manpower and Transmigration Office will discuss the wage raise before the proposal is submitted to the West Java provincial government, he informed.
"The regulation will be looked through. The team and employers will review it together along with the government and the workers. Next, it will be signed jointly before being submitted to the Governor of West Java," he said.
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The National Trade Union (SPN) at Cianjur has demanded that laborers' wage be raised from the current Rp2,699,814.40 to Rp3,267 thousand next year.
The demand is based on various considerations, including the Cianjur minimum wage that has remained the lowest for the last few years, Suherman explained.
"We demand the campaign's promises from the district head and deputy head who have promised to raise Cianjur minimum wage," chairman of Cianjur SPN, Hendra Malik, said.
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The demand for minimum wage raise has a social aspect: workers must also prosper by getting a decent wage because Cianjur is still the region with the lowest UMK compared to the nearest city/district, he explained.
According to him, the demand to raise UMK by 21 percent has been made after a survey of six traditional markets estimated the average income requirements of workers for one month at Rp3.1 million.
"Hence, the Cianjur minimum wage must be raised so that people's purchasing power also increases," he said.
"We will continue to support the wishes of our labor workers in Cianjur. So next year, workers can at least live decently and the economy can again improve," he added.
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Translator: Ahmad F, Kenzu T
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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