Wage System to Working Hours, These are the Problems Facing Plantation Workers

A *Kompas* Research and Development (Litbang) survey found that the wage system is the most crucial problem faced by plantation workers in Indonesia. This was stated by 44.3% of respondents. The second most significant issue was welfare related to the workers' employment status, with a percentage of 19.6%.

"Besides extremely low wages, a complex problem plantation workers must face is the unclear contract system," wrote *Kompas* Litbang in its report, "The Marginalized Fate of Plantation Workers Throughout History," on Tuesday (August 1, 2023).

*Kompas* Litbang wrote that plantation workers do not receive copies of their employment contracts and only read and sign the contract letter at the beginning. This results in unclear worker rights and obligations.

Occupational safety for plantation workers was also highlighted, stated by 11% of respondents.

Other crucial problems, such as regulations, and targets and working hours, were highlighted by 6% and 4% of respondents, respectively.

"In practice, workers work with a target system, often working longer than normal working hours," explained *Kompas* Litbang.

This survey was conducted on 510 respondents spread across 34 provinces in Indonesia. The sample was randomly determined according to the proportion of the population in each province.

Data collection was conducted from July 11-13, 2023, using telephone interview methods. The margin of error is approximately 4.35% with a 95% confidence level.

(See also: [Average Wage of Workers in Indonesia in February 2023, Highest in the Real Estate Sector])