Jakarta workers warm up for Labor Day

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of workers from various companies across Greater Jakarta took to the capital's main streets on Sunday as they geared up for International Labor Day on Monday.

Under the close watch of police, the workers marched from the Proclamation Monument to a roundabout near Hotel Indonesia in Jakarta's main business district on Jl. Thamrin.

The workers stopped for a while in front of the official residence of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri to voice their demands for better treatment. They then gave a copy of a statement to vice presidential security guards.

Labor activist from the Greater Jakarta Workers Union (SBJ) Komaruddin said on Sunday more employees would rally in the capital on Monday to celebrate International Labor Day.

"I cannot estimate the number of workers, but there has been coordination among trade unions to take their members onto streets in commemoration of May Day," he said.

In 1996 the Jakarta administration recorded more than 2,600 industrial companies with nearly 450,000 employees in Jakarta.

Komarudin said some 1,000 workers from the SBJ would join Monday's demonstration. Also participating will be 100 activists from nongovernmental organization the Urban Poor Consortium.

Komarudin said the SBJ had given prior notification to city police about the rally, but was not aware that workers had done the same to their respective employers.

"We are prepared for bad consequences for joining the street rally," he said.

The Greater Jakarta and Serang Workers Union Forum (Forum Jatabekser) will also take part in the demonstration, one of its activists, Sugianto, said.

"We remain undecided whether to call on all of our members to join in or just send representatives to the event," he said.

The workers plan to flock around the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle before heading for the House of Representatives and other places, including the National Monument compound.

They will demand, among other things, the government rename May 1 National Labor Day and declare it a national holiday. Founding president Sukarno's government passed a law in 1951 stipulating May 1 as national labor day and a national holiday. The law was scrapped during the New Order regime under Soeharto.

The workers will also demand pay rises; and an end to arbitrary dismissals, part-time working schemes and the use of violence to stop strikes. (amd)