Social Adaptation of Migratory Construction Workers for Family Economic Needs in Lebak District, Banten Province, Indonesia
Suwaib Amiruddin1, Apri Wahyudi2
1Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa Banten, Indonesia. E-mail: [email protected]
2Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Indonesia. E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract
Construction workers in Indonesia, especially in Cijaku, have the characteristic of migrating to find work. This study aims to describe the characteristics of migratory construction workers and adaptation in construction site and income adaptation and family needs. The research method used was a descriptive qualitative, case study approach to research informants of construction workers in Cijaku who have migrated. The results found that many of workers did not finish senior high school education level and more workers only completed primary school, because as construction workers did not require formal education. So, adaptation for construction workers only requires energy and physical fitness. The income of construction workers is around Rp. 100,000, - to Rp. 120,000 per day. Construction workers have to make savings while in location, because their living cost are not covered by the head of project or project owner. The income earned by construction workers depends on the number of working days, so the family can make financial management in the household.
Keywords: social adaptation, construction workers, migration
Introduction
The process of community adaptation with a variety of different cultural factors to anticipate changes in the new physical and social environment. This was discussed by the findings of Abdoellah (2017 ) in the case of transmigration to the people in Barambai, who found that the culture and organization created were able to carry out people's lives with the pressures of environmental change in accordance with the strategies created by the community in responding to environmental changes. Ponsioen, (1969), Popkin, (1979), and Legg (1983) have implications for the lives of the people, mainly the changes in social structure in society, both horizontally and vertically.
Kaplan's (1999) thought the culture ecological orientation interacted in a single system does not mean that the causal influence of a cultural environment is necessarily as great as the influence of the environment on culture. Construction workers community is a community that works relying on physical strength and has expertise in the field of building houses, shop houses which the salary provided daily or wholesale. Construction workers are
casual workers without legal protection and health insurance. Construction workers work on a wholesale or daily system with a manager.
A wave of workers migrated in Indonesia due to the demands of family needs and even though there were those who had side jobs. The condition of construction workers in Cijaku for the most part do not have side jobs as Andriani (2016) chooses to work as a laborer because she is married and has a large number of dependents. Giang (2013) Most construction workers also have side businesses including motorcycle taxi drivers, mechanics, and farmers. Syahriani (2019) Making savings, he save some money of the income for the urgent needs. In addition, low-income construction workers, Chris F. Wright and Stephen Clibborn (2019)The marginalisation of migrants at work, especially those in industries and occupations characterised by low wages and low-skilled jobs
In terms of income, construction workers have constraints in terms of meeting the needs of their families. Because of the low income, construction worker's family must have a way so that the family's needs are met. Based on preliminary interviews with workers, it was revealed that construction workers only rely on daily work. Various economic problems, the families must have their own way of managing their income budget. This method is applied in the family for the survival of all its members. Every family member has a role in carrying out this method.
Research Methods
The type of the research is a descriptive qualitative, a case study approach to construction workers who always get work out of their village. Data collection techniques used in this study was through observation, interviews, and documentation. Observations were made at the location of a construction worker and asked directly about his condition in the field. Interviews were conducted by visiting directly to the home of construction workers who frequently and had migrated and at the same time conducting interviews both individually and involving their families as a form of triangulation of sources. in addition to interviews also conducted Focus Group Discussions. Informants consisted of workers aged between 17-25 (2 people) and ages 25-45 years (5 people) and workers who were married and not yet married and the duration of migration (7 people). Some related documents are taken, for example payroll records and loan records at small shop, because workers prefer to take the goods to small shop first and when
payday they pay it off. Data analysis used qualitative data analysis techniques which include the following stages: 1) Data Reduction is defined as the process of selecting, focusing on simplifying, abstracting and transforming rough data that appears from the field note. Data reduction is part of data collection activities which are also part of the analysis. Data reduction is a form of analysis aimed at sharpening, classifying, removing unnecessary. 2) Data Display is a collection of structured information that provides the possibility of drawing conclusions. This happens because the presentation of data will be able to understand what is happening and what needs to be done based on that understanding. 3) Conclusion Drawing / verivication Drawing conclusions and verifying, that is, the meanings that appear in the data must be tested for its truth, its robustness and compatibility, which is its validity.
Discussion
Adaptation Characteristics of Construction Workers
Development process physically carried out in urban areas, has encouraged villagers to participate in supporting the development of a construction worker. Housing development projects and supporting infrastructure for urban areas, such as the construction of electricity facilities, drainage and office buildings, are the main attraction for rural communities to switch jobs to construction workers. Working as a construction worker, is a job that requires strong energy and physical strength in order to support the process of accelerating project development.
Building city infrastructure quantitatively involves construction workers from villages. As construction worker from Cijaku, Lebak, Banten. This is the factors that cause construction workers come from rural to urban areas. Meeting the needs of construction workers deliberately brought in from the village, because the village community needs work. As revealed by construction worker HN (45 years) , that
The entry of construction workers from the village into urban areas, more on the need to get a job. Although I left my hometown and my family in the village, it was only temporary, when working on the agreed project.
(interviewed on January 21st, 2020) Migrant construction workers from Cijaku have dependents to support in the village. Some construction workers, they must divide their income for the needs of their
families in the village with the necessities of their lives while in construction site. Leaving the family is an agreement with the family, to work as migrant construction workers. Leaving the family to pursue project work becomes part of family life needs.
During their time at the project development location, many migrant construction workers make use of the area around the building as their residence. Facilities for a place to stay, actually never prepared by the foreman or the building boss. Utilizing the area and building materials improvised and / or unused as materials to make lodging rooms. The residential environment for construction workers is not a problem. The distance between the temporary residences with work area become closer is better, because it does not require transportation and additional costs in trip.
The emergence of migrant construction workers due to the difficulty of finding works in their hometowns and also there is no infrastructure build in their hometown. The development of private homes and residential houses has also been under-performed in Cijaku since 2018- 2019. Based on the recognition of the informant, since the completion of its work on the construction of private homes around Cijaku , then the construction workers will be unemployed, or wait until the jobs of construction workers who need the services. This makes the economy of the construction workers’ family in Cijaku experience ups and downs.
Age characteristics of construction workers in Indonesia, especially in Cijaku, Lebak Regency, on average at the age of 17-60 years and having education most of the approximately 60-70% did not complete high school education (SMA) there were also only elementary school education and there were around 20% and most are aged 40-60 years. As a construction worker does not require a formal educational background. Based on several informants, that construction workers only need the energy and ability to accompany the project leader in work.
On average, construction workers from Cijaku often migrate to regions in Sumatra and Jakarta, those who are married and those who are not. There are around 60% of construction workers who are married and migrate frequently compared to those who are not married, around 37%. Based on the acknowledgment of several informants, that the most dominant reason for who have been married is because of the demands of the family to provide for the economic needs and costs of their children education.
Adaptation of Ability and Expertise
Conceptually, speaking about skills, it is more directed at abilities possessed by someone. That ability can be obtained by using mind, thoughts and ideas and creativity in doing a job to change something to be more beneficial. Construction workers as a companion and / or assistant worker , and there is no demand for construction workers to have expertise in building management and construct a building.
Construction workers only use physical exertion and capabilities in carry building materials and stirring it. As said by a construction worker Ade (55 years) that
In terms of expertise and knowledge, so far I have no skills, so becoming a construction worker is my choice to work. I have been working as a laborer since the 1990s until now and I continue to work as a construction worker. Being a construction worker does not require a formal educational background, but it takes only energy. Even though there are jobs outside of construction workers, I still choose to only work as a construction worker.
( Interviewed on December 11, 2019 ) In general, construction workers in Cijaku do not have expertise in other fields besides construction workers. Work as a construction worker is a job that has been occupied and until now still retains as an economic activity because it does not need to have special expertise. As confirmed by Dede (46 years) that
Since I got married in 2008, I have started working as a construction worker. Initially I only helped the family, but in the next housing development project I was invited to become a construction worker accompanying a handyman. Until now my expertise is only in construction workers to support the needs of my children and wife.
Interviewed on December 28, 201 9 Based on the interview, it was revealed that a construction worker does not need to have formal education and special expertise. Although there are other jobs in the Cijaku neighborhood, for example agriculture and daily laborers on the palm oil plantations owned by the residents, they only choose permanent jobs as construction workers. Professionally, work as a laborer is a job that is considered permanent work, although it is not always available every day. As the informant BJ (45 years) said that
Choosing a job as a construction worker, actually started went along with a friend who was working as construction workers, but now become a permanent skill and continued until today.
Interviewed on January 5, 2020
Based on the interview, it was revealed that choosing a job as a construction worker actually began because of outside encouragement to participate with friends to help even though it was not yet professional. In the course of his daily life, it turns out work as a laborer can provide experience and to be occupied until now. Perseverance in drill the abilities, then the laborer was initially only a temporary job until it became his permanent job.
Adaptation of income and work environment
Construction workers in Indonesia are dominated by middle to lower class people and usually work at odd jobs. Likewise, construction workers in the Pasir Pengaraian Sub- District, Lebak Regency, Banten Province based on initial observations and matched to the daily payroll records owned by the head of labor, were found between Rp. 100 .000-R p.1 2 0,000 per day depending on the level of expertise and an agreement between the workers and the leader (Maseleno et al., 2019). The leader as the person in charge of the construction and the pattern of work to be done. The work contract was carried out between the leader and the owner of the construction project.
The highest level of education of Construction workers in Cijaku was senior high school graduates and even more who do not complete primary school. Data based on interviews with workers revealed that around 60% of construction workers did not complete their education up to high school level. Professionally, work as a laborer has its own risk of leaving the family if he gets a job in an urban area for a long time between 1-3 months. But if you get a job in the area not far from his village, then you can meet his family within 1 week. Based on interviews, that work hour in a day from 8:00 a.m. to 17:00 pm.
People who work as construction workers in Cijaku in general are in a simple condition of life. The condition was caused by erratic work. Work as a construction worker is the main occupation for construction workers, although in Cijaku there are agricultural fields that require farm laborers, but construction workers are hardly involved in agriculture. Double work between
construction workers and agriculture labor can actually be done, as informant ALI (45 years) said
The job of a construction worker is a job that he has been engaged in, so I always look for information from colleagues, or friends, so I can get a job. After getting a job, it can take about a month to return to the family. And also usually depending on the work being handled.
Interviewed on January 5, 2020 Based on the informant's statement, it was revealed that work as a construction worker was the right job choice so far. His work is an important thing to keep. Getting a job is usually through information on colleagues and fellow of construction workers. Engaging in construction, they find it difficult to try new jobs because they have been working for a long time and do not try to do other work. So that construction workers only rely on building projects, so they hope it will be available all times, so they can continue working.
Economic living conditions for construction workers in the village, accept the reality of how difficult it is to access additional work or side jobs other than construction workers. That difficulty suffered because they did not have any other skills besides construction worker. Being a farmer in the village is inaccessible because having no expertise, they are also does not have agricultural land. That condition requires the family of construction workers to live limited only to fulfill their household needs.
Meeting the limited needs of household life, so that access to education for the children of construction workers cannot achieve higher education. Education is only an average of primary and secondary education, because the cost of education is borne by local governments. As for the cost of school material, according to several informants that equipment and books are still the costs of the parents.
Limited income among construction workers, requires savings in family financing. Income is only around Rp. 100,000 per day requires the ability to manage so tightly. The work location, not only in the hometown of Banten Province, but outside Java and Sumatra . As Uteng (35 years) said that
Every time they go to work, they usually work with friends from the same villag . Sometimes they leave 8-10 people as laborers. The location of the work area can be in
Jakarta and even Lampung Province, and usually it depends on who invites us to work. Through the invitation of friends to work, then we have more certainty of income to meet family needs.
Interviewed on January 7, 2020
Based on the statement of the informant, it was revealed that the work as construction workers was usually done in groups, to invite each other so that fellow laborers got jobs. Even though the working area is far from home, it is still part of the responsibility to support the family. Getting a job as a laborer also requires networking and connections from friends to friends. Through chain messages and work patterns need each other.
Solidarity as a construction worker strengthens to invite each other and ask for help. Helping each other is part of the form for exchanging information between one to another. Construction workers in Cijaku have possibility of being able to join with workers who are outside the area of their hometown, because it depends on who invites to work. As the villagers were only rely on physical exertion, need for adaptation to any work site to be done in the location where they was working in order to have a family income.
As workers who always migrate from one area to another, they increasingly need social networks to build connectivity between fellow workers. As group workers, it certainly requires adaptation in order to be able to accept each other. Based on some information from informants, that one of the difficulties in working if there is no mutual understanding at work. For example, there are friends who do not care about the burden faced by fellow and also lazy to work and until there is internal conflict among workers, but not the conflict of violence, because they realize that leaving home to pursue family economic needs.
Conclusion
As workers who always migrate from one region to another, they increasingly need social networks to build connectivity between fellow workers to get work. Characteristics of Construction workers in Indonesia, especially in Cijaku, are not completing high school, because as construction workers do not need formal education, adaptation for construction workers only requires physical exertion and physical fitness. The income of construction workers is around Rp. 100,000, - to Rp. 120,000 per day. With that income, construction
workers make savings while in location, because their living cost not covered by the leader or project owner. The income earned by construction workers depends on the number of working days, so the family can make financial management in the household.
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