Indonesian app-based motorcycle taxi drivers strike in protest over low pay

Drivers want ride-hailing companies to increase the share they currently receive for every trip from 80 % to 80 %, and the government should grant them special treatment for their employment terms so they can bargain more for their fees, according to Andi Kristiyanto, a representative of the National Online Taxi Coalition, the organization organizing the demonstration.

Driver Wandi said he worked for 10 hours every day but made less than 150, 000 rupiah ( US$ 9.73 ) most days. This means his daily income is below Jakarta’s minimum wage of 5 million rupiah ( US$ 324.5 ).

” We want channels to listen to us”, said Wandi, who gave just one name.

GoTo and Get give ride-hailing, food supply, and other services in many East Asian countries, and have a combined market capitalisation of about US$ 18 billion.

According to Nabiyla Risfa Izzati, a professor on labor law at the University of Gadjah Mada, drivers are treated as partners, so they are not legally required to set minimum income, pay social security plan, or set working hours.

” It’s right to push the authorities so that it is the one that regulates the firms”, she said, adding it needed to established floor and ceiling expenses across all sectors for the vehicles, such as ride-hailing and food supply.

The transport department said it did not manage costs, urging systems to listen to drivers, while Indonesia’s labor department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.