Suryani Ika Sari, Jakarta – Trade unions and labour groups from the United Workers’ Alliance have demonstrated at the Jakarta Provincial Council building demanding to meet with the Jakarta governor, Sutiyoso, and calling on the governor to repeal Govenoral Decree Number 2515/2004 which sets the provincial minimum wage at 711,843 rupiah per month. They are demanding it be increased to 759,953 rupiah.

Around 15 representatives from the alliance were received by a member of Commission E from the Democratic Party fraction, Lucky P. Sastrawiria. The representatives included the deputy-chairperson of the council for provincial wage affairs, worker representative Billyonardi, a representative from the People’s Democratic Party (PRD), Lukman Hakim, and Gibson Said Ikbal from the Indonesian Metal Workers Forum (FPMI).

So far the meeting has reached no agreement on when representatives from the alliance will meet with Sutiyoso. “We are disappointed with this decision. It is clear that the council and local government have broken [their] promise”, said Gibson. Gibson threatened that if the council did not arrange a meeting between them (the workers’ alliance) and Sutiyoso they would immediately organise a massive demonstration.

Sastrawiria meanwhile said that the reason [for not being] able to meet with Sutiyoso was because meeting him required going through the proper procedures.

[Translated by James Balowski.]