Jakarta workers warm up for Labor Day<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of workers from various companies
\nacross Greater Jakarta took to the capital's main streets on
\nSunday as they geared up for International Labor Day on Monday.<\/p>\n
Under the close watch of police, the workers marched from the
\nProclamation Monument to a roundabout near Hotel Indonesia in
\nJakarta's main business district on Jl. Thamrin.<\/p>\n
The workers stopped for a while in front of the official
\nresidence of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri to voice their
\ndemands for better treatment. They then gave a copy of a
\nstatement to vice presidential security guards.<\/p>\n
Labor activist from the Greater Jakarta Workers Union (SBJ)
\nKomaruddin said on Sunday more employees would rally in the
\ncapital on Monday to celebrate International Labor Day.<\/p>\n
"I cannot estimate the number of workers, but there has been
\ncoordination among trade unions to take their members onto
\nstreets in commemoration of May Day," he said.<\/p>\n
In 1996 the Jakarta administration recorded more than 2,600
\nindustrial companies with nearly 450,000 employees in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Komarudin said some 1,000 workers from the SBJ would join
\nMonday's demonstration. Also participating will be 100 activists
\nfrom nongovernmental organization the Urban Poor Consortium.<\/p>\n
Komarudin said the SBJ had given prior notification to city
\npolice about the rally, but was not aware that workers had done
\nthe same to their respective employers.<\/p>\n
"We are prepared for bad consequences for joining the street
\nrally," he said.<\/p>\n
The Greater Jakarta and Serang Workers Union Forum (Forum
\nJatabekser) will also take part in the demonstration, one of its
\nactivists, Sugianto, said.<\/p>\n
"We remain undecided whether to call on all of our members to
\njoin in or just send representatives to the event," he said.<\/p>\n
The workers plan to flock around the Hotel Indonesia traffic
\ncircle before heading for the House of Representatives and other
\nplaces, including the National Monument compound.<\/p>\n
They will demand, among other things, the government rename
\nMay 1 National Labor Day and declare it a national holiday.
\nFounding president Sukarno's government passed a law in 1951
\nstipulating May 1 as national labor day and a national holiday.
\nThe law was scrapped during the New Order regime under Soeharto.<\/p>\n
The workers will also demand pay rises; and an end to
\narbitrary dismissals, part-time working schemes and the use of
\nviolence to stop strikes. (amd)<\/p>",
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