The Labor Party and other labor organizations will hold simultaneous actions in 34 provinces on September 6, 2022. In Jakarta, it will be centered in the DPR RI with an estimated attendance of around 5,000 people, while in the regions it will be held at the Governor’s Office followed by the recovery of thousands of workers. Protesters in Jakarta came from Jabodetabek with demands to reject the increase in fuel prices, reject the ratification of the Omnibus Law on Ciptaker, and increase labor wages by 10 to 13% in 2023.
This was stated by Said Iqbal at a press conference in Jakarta (08/30/2022) via a zoom meeting while adding that the 30% increase in fuel prices resulted in the purchasing power of workers and small communities decreasing drastically because for 3 years in a row the wages of workers did not increase due to Omnibus Law. The Minister of Manpower has announced that in 2023 the wage increase using the old rules means that wages will not increase, simultaneously inflation is around 4.9% before the fuel price increase, 5.51% economic growth, plus the plan to increase fuel prices, this means oppressing the people. The ranks of the Minister of Manpower etc. have a “colonial” character, meaning that if there is no state budget, the people are taxed or prices are raised. The Labor Party’s policies are pro-subsidies and pro-social security for the underprivileged.
“The planned increase in fuel prices will increase inflation to 8.5% and if it is added to the economic growth of 5.51%, then the wages of workers should increase by 13%, but wages do not increase. As a result of the increase in fuel prices, purchasing power will decrease by 50 percent so this policy is “colonial in nature and extortionate,” said the President of the Labor Party.
Said Iqbal quipped that the Minister of Finance, Coordinating Minister for the Economy, and the Minister of Manpower should sit around at gas stations to monitor whether luxury cars use Pertalite, because those who use Pertalite are 120 million small people, not rich people, so it is not true that subsidized fuel is misused by the rich and businessman.
“The Minister of Finance’s statement by blaming luxury car owners using Pertalite, seems to be defending the small people, but in fact it will hurt the small people if Pertalite and Solar are increased,” said a member of the ILO governing body also criticized the provision of Wage Subsidy Assistance (BSU) for workers who with a salary of IDR 3.5 million and below.
