Jakarta workers warm up for Labor Day

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)