SPK Disputes Unair's Claim on Lecturer's Monthly Income of Rp 9.2 Million

The Campus Workers Union (SPK) has challenged Universitas Airlangga's (Unair) statements regarding the monthly earnings of a law lecturer, Cenuk Widiyastrisna Sayekti. SPK chairman Dhia Al Uyun asserts that the university's reported take-home pay figures do not accurately reflect the lecturer's consistent income, as a significant portion is conditional on official assignments.

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If it is said that the total is 7 to 9 million, that is not true.

According to Dhia, the additional income of approximately 5 million Indonesian rupiah (IDR) that Unair cited is only attainable if the lecturer receives official assignment letters from the campus. Without these documents, lecturers cannot claim various honoraria or incentives. Dhia explained that this situation is currently affecting Cenuk, as the campus has allegedly not issued assignment letters for work she has completed, potentially disqualifying her from receiving a lecturer certification allowance due to unmet performance requirements.

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When the campus does not provide a letter of assignment, then automatically the rights for that five million cannot be claimed.

The core of the dispute, Dhia noted, is not solely about the amount of take-home pay but also about the legal framework governing lecturers' base salaries. SPK and other petitioners are challenging provisions in Law No. 14 of 2005 on Teachers and Lecturers, specifically clauses that refer to "income above the minimum living needs" without clear metrics. SPK proposes that lecturers' base salaries should be at least equivalent to the minimum wage in the region where the university is located.

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She has done research, she has written, but she was not given a letter of assignment. The letter of assignment is like a receipt so she can claim her rights.

Unair, however, previously stated that a lecturer's total income should not be measured by base salary alone. Radian Salman, Director of Human Resources, Talent Management, and Organizational Development at Unair, reported that Cenuk's total earnings in 2025 ranged from IDR 94 million to IDR 95 million, averaging around IDR 7.8 million per month. As of July 2026, Unair claimed Cenuk's average monthly income was approximately IDR 9.2 million.

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What we are asking for is at least in accordance with the minimum wage in the place where the educational unit is located.