Jakarta – Thousands of Jakarta's long-serving category 2 contract workers staged a rally in front of City Hall in Central Jakarta on Wednesday, the same day when selections for civil servants officially began.
Wearing scout uniforms and erecting banners that urged the city administration to raise their status to that of civil servants, they said they deserved a better living as they had been serving for years but earned little for it.
"We want category 2 contract workers to be hired as civil servants. We have served for years in Jakarta and we want change," said Samsul, a contract worker in Tanah Tinggi subdistrict, Johar Baru, Central Jakarta, as reported by tribunnews.com.
Unlike category 1 workers, category 2 contract workers' salaries are not covered in the regional budget (APBD) or state budget (APBN). They have long demanded to be permanently employed so that they can earn the provincial minimum wage.
The government stipulates that contract workers wishing to become civil servants need to undergo a test. However, the workers demand that their years of service should be taken into account. They also complained about the uncertainty of their status because they could be replaced by new contract workers at any time.
There were 11,049 contractors working at various provincial government institutions across the city who obtained the statement of responsibility letter (SPTJM) that was validated by the National Civil Service Agency, according to the protesters. (fac)