Nana Rukmana, Cirebon – Thousands of contract employees in the Cirebon municipal administration and at state enterprises in the city are demanding action over their low salaries. The employees also have expressed anger that they had not received permanent worker status despite in some cases having been in their present positions for more than five years.

Rudi Zulkarnaen, 26, who works at the state market operator in Cirebon, said Friday he had been with the company for five years as a contract employee.

"My status has never changed. I'm still a contract worker," Rudi said, adding he was paid Rp 280,000 (US$31.10) a month, far below the city's official minimum monthly wage of Rp 540,500.

Of the 250 employees at the company, he said half were contract workers. "The contract workers have been employed for five to 20 years," he said.

Rudi said he was meeting with other contract workers to explore the possibility of setting up a union at the company. "The union could help us fight for better welfare," he said.

The company currently supervises the operation of 10 markets in the city. There are also about 4,000 contract workers employed by the Cirebon municipal administration. Their monthly wages range from Rp 300,000 to Rp 400,000.

When alerted to the situation, the Cirebon Legislative Council criticized the wage system. "These monthly salaries are far below the minimum wage. It is unfair. We will protest this and urge the administration to review the situation," said the council's deputy chairman, Edi Suripno.