Workers protest less in Tangerang<\/p>\n
TANGERANG (JP): The number of protests here, home to 18,359
\nlarge and small factories which employ about 300,000 casual
\nworkers, have dropped to 22 cases this year from 64 recorded in
\n1996.<\/p>\n
Most of the protests were staged by garment, footwear and
\nelectronics workers, the chairman of All-Indonesia Workers
\nUnion's Tangerang branch, Yusuf Makatika, said Saturday.<\/p>\n
Despite the significant drop, the street protests staged by
\nworkers had the potential to be more disruptive.<\/p>\n
\"Most of the protests involved huge numbers of workers and the
\nevents were much more aggressive than in previous years,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
They, for instance, marched from the their factory compounds
\nto the City Council in an attempt to meet with councilors and
\nlobby them to settle the workers' demands.<\/p>\n
On April 22, for instance, 10,200 workers of a factory
\nproducing a world-renowned brand of footwear were involved in a
\nstrike. Then on May 5, 8,300 workers from six factories took part
\nin a massive strike. On Oct. 13, about 6,000 workers from another
\nfootwear producing firm conducted a street protest.<\/p>\n
In many cases, the massive protests caused heavy traffic
\ncongestion in the area.<\/p>\n
Yusuf expressed concern that the growing size of street
\nprotests could one day spark other serious problems if the local
\nauthorities failed to manage them properly.<\/p>\n
None of the protests were used by third parties to further
\ntheir own causes, he said.<\/p>\n
Tangerang military district chief Lt. Col. Ibrahim Rozaini
\nsupported Yusuf's findings.<\/p>\n
\"All the protests were staged by the workers themselves,
\ndemanding that their basic rights be met and asking for
\nimprovements,\" he said. (bsr\/41)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/workers-protest-less-in-tangerang-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}