Puji Sukiswanti, Denpasar – Hundreds of workers from the Balinese United Labour Alliance (ABBB) held a rally at the Bali Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building in the provincial capital of Denpasar on April 30.
They also commemorated International Labour Day with rallies at the Balinese governor’s office and the Niti Mandala Renon eastern parking lot, also in Denpasar.
Action coordinator Ida I Dewa Made Rai Budi Darsana said that the workers were demanding wage rises adding that the Balinese provincial minimum wage (UMP) is too low compared with East Java and Jakarta, yet the cost of living in Bali is not very different from Jakarta.
“The cost of living in Bali is becoming increasingly expensive, we from the Balinese United Labour Alliance are demanding an UMP for 2016 of around 2.2 million rupiah [a month]”, he told journalists in Denpasar on Thursday April 30.
Moreover, he said, Bali is special region so the current UMP of 1.6 million rupiah a month is very low and does not cover the cost of workers’ living costs. “We hope that the government will understand the situation facing workers”, he said.
During the action, the workers were received by Bali DPRD deputy speaker Nyoman Sugawa Koryy and DPRD members Nyoman Parta and Ketut Kariyasa. Nyoman Sugawa Koryy claimed that he can understand the complaints of workers in Bali.
“We will accommodate their demands for an increase in the UMP, we will discuss the matter further with other council members”, he explained to journalists.
The ABBB is an alliance labour and non-government organisations (LSM) including the Balinese Trade Union (SPB), the United Balinese National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBBB) and the Balinese chapter of the Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI). (san)
[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski for the Indoleft news service. The original title of the article was May Day, Buruh Bali Tuntut Kenaikan UMP Rp2,2 Juta.]
