wages

the other day i was talking with a blue bird taxi driver. he's just been in the job for 3 months, having quit his last job as driver to a korean man. the reason he quit: stagnant wages. he got Rp825k/month, and a flat additional Rp3k/hour of overtime, working 6 days a week. he said the condition is inhumane, and he wouldn't want to go back to being personal driver especially for asian expats, he thinks they are slavedrivers. i told him, well there's hundreds of other people willing to drive if he isn't. what he said was, Yes, but don't they have a heart to give decent wages, even if increasing slightly, it's clear they can afford it because they have nice house, always going shopping (each shopping trip for groceries costing more than his wages in a month, etc).

these kinds of conversation reminds me that indeed our labor force do not see the pickle they are in--i.e. low productivity, large number of other people unemployed, etc. they just see the way the other 10% (?) live, and think they are entitled to better treatment.

i remember back in 2000 my office paid our drivers Rp1million/mo, and a progressive amount for overtime that started at Rp10k/hour. we could've gotten away with paying much less, but didn't really have the heart since it these drivers worked hard. so i guess some regulation, on minimum wages and work condition, is needed, otherwise people take advantage of others. it's not their fault they're unskilled, and there's thousands out there competing for their job.