PT Delta Merlin Clothing Textile II Sragen is facing a difficult situation. The condition of the company is not doing well. The management of the company located in Purwosuman, Sidoharjo, Sragen said their condition was worse than during the last Covid-19 pandemic. One of the causes of this condition is the large influx of imported fabrics and thrift from abroad. "The company is having a hard time because there are a lot of cheap imported fabrics and imported used clothes," said the head of Delta Merlin personnel, Cipta Saputra, in an audience at the Sragen DPRD, Monday (3/4/2023).

As a result of these conditions, Delta Merlin's management was unable to fully employ its employees. Employees only work 10-15 days a month. Cipta admitted that management was forced to do this because of the company's condition. On the other hand, they also don't want to lay off employees.

"So we still use conscientious considerations so we choose to lay off employees rather than cut off employment," said Cipta.

However, this condition may not last long. Delta Merlin plans not to extend the working period of contract employees. There are 580 employees working at Delta Merlin with 150 of them having permanent employee status.

Cipta explained that of the three business units, only one unit is running. One business unit that is still running has 84 machines. Of the number of machines, only 50% are operational. Under these conditions, if the company is forced to follow the rules for paying employees' salaries, Cipta said it would be very difficult.

As is well known, Delta Merlin workers demand that their wages be paid 75% even though they only work 10-15 days a month. They conveyed this demand to the Sragen DPRD on Monday.

The rule they use as a basis is the Minister of Manpower Regulation (Permenaker) No. 5/2023 concerning Adjustment of Working Time and Wages in Certain Export-Oriented Labor-Intensive Industrial Companies Affected by Changes in the Global Economy.

Based on Article 8 of the Minister of Manpower, the company can make adjustments to the amount of labor wages provided that the wages paid are at least 75% of the regular wages received. The wage adjustment is based on an agreement between the employer and the worker.

The arrival of the workers was received by Commission IV of the Sragen DPRD which presented the Sragen Manpower Office (Disnaker); Office of Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises, Industry and Trade (Diskumindag) Sragen. In addition, there were also representatives from the Central Java Province Manpower Office and the management of PT DMST II Sragen. The labor issue was mediated by the Head of Commission IV DPRD Sragen, Sugiyamto, along with three of its members.

Delta Merlin workers advocated by the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) 1992 Sragen. Chairman of the DPC SBSI 1992 Sragen, Joko Supriyanto, conveyed that workers who are on vacation still have the right to receive wages. He asked every company decision to be discussed with the workers.

The chairman of the Central Java SBSI 1992 DPD, Murjoko, who was also present at the hearing, said that workers need certainty about the company's ability to pay wages. He emphasized that the wage regulations are in accordance with Permenaker No. 5/2023. “Labor can be negotiated if the company cannot afford it with a minimum 75%. The important thing is there is certainty. So far, businessmen's unilateral decisions have taken the form of announcements," he said.