1,000-strong workers rally for better conditions<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 1,000 workers from Greater Jakarta area
\nmarched through the capital Sunday morning to demand better
\nconditions and an end to violence against workers.<\/p>\n
Workers from the Association of Indonesia's Independent
\nWorkers Unions held the march to commemorate International Labor
\nDay. The workers also demanded that the government pay more
\nattention to child workers and to recognize the International
\nLabor Day, which falls on May 1.<\/p>\n
The peaceful march began at the circle in front of Hotel
\nIndonesia in Central Jakarta and ended at the Volleyball stadium
\nin the Senayan sports complex in South Jakarta, where the workers
\nlit candles and held a moment of silence.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Saturday, more than 300 workers, student activists
\nand lawyers staged a rally on the campus of the University of
\nIndonesia on Jl. Salemba in Central Jakarta on Saturday to
\ncommemorate International Labor Day.<\/p>\n
Wearing red headbands bearing the words \"May Day\", workers
\nfrom several companies in West and North Jakarta entered the
\nuniversity at about 1 p.m.<\/p>\n
The demands aired by the workers during the rally included a
\n100 percent increase in standard salaries, an end to worker
\ndismissals, a reduction in the prices of basic commodities and
\nfreedom to establish labor organizations.<\/p>\n
\"Today is our day. We should unite in our struggle to advance
\nour demands to employers and the government officials who back
\nthe employers,\" a female employee said during a free speech
\nforum.<\/p>\n
A small scuffle broke out between the rally's organizing
\ncommittee and representatives of the National Labor Party (PBN),
\nwho placed their party's flags and symbols around the university.<\/p>\n
Party officials also gave an interview to a television camera
\ncrew in front of the university before the committee officially
\nopened the rally.<\/p>\n
Committee members protested the party's actions, asking them
\nto remove their flags and symbols.<\/p>\n
Surya Tjandra, one of the committee members, expressed anger
\nthat the party used the rally to further its own interests.<\/p>\n
\"They (PBN) acted as if this rally was part of their program.
\nIt's not a party campaign. They are not involved with the
\norganizing committee,\" Surya, who also heads the worker division
\nof the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, said.<\/p>\n
He said the rally committee, named the Action Committee of
\nOppressed People, was founded by the legal aid institute in
\ncooperation with the University of Indonesia's Big Family, the
\nGreater Jakarta Workers Union and the Workers Committee for
\nReform.<\/p>\n
\"Last week, we invited the party to join the committee but
\nthey refused. Now they come here and do not follow our schedule,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Party officials eventually apologized and asked party members
\nto remove the flags and symbols.<\/p>\n
Another incident occurred before the rally began when a number
\nof workers participating in the rally were locked out of the
\nuniversity campus. Security guards locked the university's gate,
\nsaying one of the university's deputy rectors had not issued a
\npermit for the rally.<\/p>\n
University students forcibly opened the gate to let the rally
\nparticipants enter the campus. No further clashes occurred.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, six students from the university were questioned by
\npolice for distributing invitations to workers to join the
\n\"illegal\" rally.<\/p>\n
Two of the six students were arrested in Kalideres, West
\nJakarta, on Friday night, while the remaining four students were
\narrested in Cakung, North Jakarta, on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Surya and the police confirmed the questioning of the
\nstudents. None of the students were detained. (jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/1000-strong-workers-rally-for-better-conditions-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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