Government Asked to Open Data on Minimum Wage

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

One of the participants in the action raises his hand during a demonstration by workers who are members of the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Union (FSPMI) who voiced the determination of the 2022 minimum wage in the Silang Monas area, Jakarta, Tuesday (9/11/2021).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The government has been urged to disclose data on macroeconomic indicators to be used to calculate the 2022 minimum wage so that the public can monitor the process of calculating and determining the minimum wage with the new formula.

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) submitted the required data to the Manpower Ministry on Nov. 5. In total, there were 20 types of data provided by BPS to calculate the minimum wage and special wages for micro and small businesses. However, currently only some of them can be accessed by the public, namely economic growth and inflation rates at the provincial and regency or city levels.

The secretary general of the Indonesian Workers Organization (OPSI) Timboel Siregar said on Tuesday (9/11/2021) that the process of determining the 2022 minimum wage as stipulated in the Job Creation Law should be transparent. If the data is disclosed, the public can monitor the process of determining the minimum wage. Moreover, the minimum wage would be calculated with the new formula.

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“So, there will be a cross-check from the public. Later, when [the result of the determination of wages] is announced, it can be compared with the result of the calculation by the workers and those recommended by the wage council to the governor," he said.

According to Ali Said, director of Statistical Analysis and Development at BPS, based on the existing mechanism, the required data were directly submitted to the Manpower Ministry. "Some of the required data should be processed again from existing BPS data so that the figures may differ from those published by BPS," said Ali.

Ali said that, for example, the economic growth data needed to calculate the minimum wage was based on the increase in the regional gross domestic product (RGDP) in the first quarter of 2021 and the fourth quarter of 2020 against the RGDP of the first quarter of 2020 and the fourth quarter of 2019. Another example is specific data, such as the average number of household members who work in each household, which is not included in the National Socioeconomic Survey report published by BPS.

Ali emphasized that the authority to open the data rests with the Manpower Ministry. “The Manpower Ministry has the authority to disclose special data related to the minimum wage. This is to avoid data discrepancies and also to ensure the use of the single data system,” he said.

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According to the deputy chairman of the National Wage Council (Depenas), Surnadi, as of Tuesday, the council did not have the required data and had also not received an invitation to discuss the calculation of the minimum wage. Regional manpower offices and wage councils were also still waiting for the submission of data from the Manpower Ministry. He predicted that the announcement of the new minimum wage would be delayed from the initial schedule, which was set for Nov. 10.

Previously, the director general of Industrial Relations and Manpower Social Security at the Manpower Ministry, Indah Anggoro Putri, said that there would be an increase in the 2022 minimum wage even though it would not be as high as expected by workers. According to her, parties who were not satisfied with the 2022 minimum wage policy could file a legal challenge in accordance with the existing regulation.

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.