JAMBI. Workers in Jambi have urged the government to raise the provincial minimum wage to Rp 1.9 million (US$151.8) from the current Rp 1.7 million.
The Indonesia Welfare Labor Confederation’s (KSBSI) Jambi coordinator, Roida Pane, explained that the recent decrease in fuel prices did not affect the price of staple foods that kept skyrocketing following the government's earlier decision to increase subsidized fuel prices in November 2014.
“The price of fuel is down, but high food prices remain a problem. If it was only the fuel price that increased it would be no problem, but the fuel price hike triggered increases in staple food prices,” Roida told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
The activist said KSBSI had met with the Jambi Remuneration Council, but it had not issued any recommendation for the government to revise the minimum wage in the province. One of the reasons the workers stopped staging rallies to protest the minimum wage was the administration's assurances that food prices would soon decrease following the lowering of fuel prices.
“The price of rice is still high. If the Jambi governor can give assurances that prices will go down then we will understand,” Roida said.
Jambi Governor Hasan Basri Agus recently said that as fuel prices had been decreased, food prices should follow suit.
He acknowledged that the administration had not received any recommendation from the remuneration council on a minimum wage increase as proposed by the workers.
He voiced hope that the provincial minimum wage of Rp 1.7 million previously set by the Jambi administration would remain unchanged. (Jon Afrizal)
