On declaring May 1 a holiday<\/p>\n
Like anywhere else in the world, Wednesday, May 1, was
\ncommemorated in Indonesia with tens of thousands of workers
\ntaking to the streets of the capital city and other towns. Most
\nof them work in industrial enterprises controlled by foreign and
\ndomestic interests. They were demanding two things: a pay
\nincrease and benefits, and that the government declare May 1 a
\nnational holiday.<\/p>\n
So far the government is reluctant to listen to their proposal
\nin view of the already great number of public holidays. Some of
\nthese factory workers spent a number of nights in front of the
\nmanpower ministry building in an attempt to meet the labor
\nminister, but he did not show up.<\/p>\n
It has become a trend recently for workers or employees of
\nforeign companies and state-owned enterprises to voice their
\ndissatisfaction through noisy and sometimes violent
\ndemonstrations instead of channeling their grievances through
\npolitical parties or through their labor unions.<\/p>\n
It may well be said that labor unions have in recent times
\nbeen tainted by leftist influences dominating their demands and
\ntactics.<\/p>\n
Observers have the impression that the labor movement is not
\nentirely detached from political designs aimed at destabilizing
\nthe political coalition of the nationalist and the moderate
\nreligious groups.<\/p>\n
That workers have become restless is also understandable since
\nthere are officially about 40 million unemployed at present.
\nAmong the demonstrators there must have been a great number of
\njobless people. The fact that they want to see May 1 declared a
\nholiday makes it apparent that they want international sympathy
\nfor their cause.<\/p>\n
GANDHI SUKARDI<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-declaring-may-1-a-holiday-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }