"The task force keeps monitoring the impact of the minimum provincial wage hikes in order to avoid layoffs. The task force serves as an early detection so the 2013 minimum provincial wages will not disrupt the performance of companies and lead to layoffs," Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar said here on Wednesday.
The task force will coordinate with manpower offices across the country in gathering information and data related to the impact of minimum provincial wage hikes, he said.
If any company is forced to lay off its workers due to the 2013 minimum provincial wage hike, it should coordinate with the local manpower office to find a solution, including putting the new minimum provincial wage on hold, he said.
"The most important thing is how to prevent and avoid layoffs due to the minimum provincial wage hikes," he said.
The local manpower office, the company and labor union will later check the condition of the company to see if it cannot afford to pay the new minimum provincial wage to its workers, he said.
"I ask labor unions and employers to hold coordination on a bipartite basis so as to avoid layoffs. We must always find solutions and must not merely put the blame on wages because the wages have not reached productive wages much less prosperous wages," he said. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
