The East Java Minimum Salary (UMK) 2022 has been signed through the Decree of East Java Governor Number 188/803/Kpts/013/2021. From the existing data, the minimum salary in SurabayaCity is still the highest in East Java region.
The Minimum Salary of Surabaya City in 2022 is set at Rp. 4,375,479.19. Meanwhile, the lowest UMK in East Java is in Sampang UMK 2022, which is Rp. 1,922,122.97. The difference, which reached around Rp. 2 million, made UB employee observer, Mohammad Fajar Shodiq Ramadlan, highlight the inequality that occurred.
The man who is also a Political Science Lecturer at FISIP UB revealed that the inequality between wages in ring 1 areas such as Surabaya, Sidoarjo or Gresik is rarely discussed. In the ring 1 region, it has reached 4 million.
“Meanwhile, in agrarian areas such as in Nganjuk, Madiun or Ngawi, the wages are still 2 million. This is lame even though the price of basic stuff in the regions is not too significant,” he said, Friday (12/3/2021).
Therefore, Fajar asked the government to also pay attention to the condition of this inequality. Because at this time agrarian areas in East Java are also starting to lead to industrialization.
“There should be several components that are negotiated so that they are not too unequal. Prices of basic stuffs at supermarkets in Surabaya and Madiun are relatively the same. It is necessary to calculate the ideal difference, although this also depends on tripartite relations (government, businessmen, and workers) in each region,” he explained.
In addition to the regional inequality factor, Fajar also observes the implementation of Government Regulation (PP) number 78 of 2015 concerning wages. This Airlangga University alumnus assessed that since the PP was issued, wages are no longer discussed every year but only follow inflation.
“So, this condition makes the wage increase not significant. Unlike before PP 78 2015 was issued, wages were determined through surveys and bargaining between the three parties. The PP also weakens the position of workers, so that there is always a polemic every year since workers think the increase is too small,” Fajar continued.
The polemic in determining the UMK every year makes Fajar suggest that PP number 78 of 2015 needs to be reviewed. Because the government regulation will affect other labor regulations.
“Even though the Omnibus Law has been annulled by the Constitutional Court, but when PP 78 there is still a reference, it will still be a polemic,” said the man who has published several articles in journals.
In addition, Fajar hopes that the determination of UMK will also pay attention to entrepreneurs in MSME category. Because MSME relations are informal, not formal.
“So, if UMK is also applied to MSME, it will be burdensome for them. Because the standards in the manufacturing industry and MSMEs are different,” he concluded. (*/Humas UB/ Trans. Iir).
