Labor union holds worker festival

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) will hold contests for workers in Jakarta and surrounding areas of Bogor, Tangerang, Bekasi, Karawang and Serang on April 24 and April 25 here.

Organizing committee chairman Asrizal Nur from the union's cultural department announced on Thursday that the Indonesian Worker Festival '99 was held in conjunction with SBSI's seventh anniversary on Apr. 25 and World Labor Day on May 1.

Competitions will include poetry recitals, karaoke performances of dangdut songs, a ballad festival and quiz on labor laws, Asrizal said.

A total of Rp 5 million in cash plus trophies, including ones donated by the manpower minister, will be awarded to the winners, he added.

There also will be poem-writing, prose and caricature contests on labor themes. Contests are open to SBSI members from across the country.

Registration for the events is open at SBSI's head office at Jl. Pemuda 289, East Jakarta, through April 20.

Winners will be announced on May 1, he said.

Asrizal added the event was intended to improve unity of workers and unions to reach their goal of prosperity for workers. (jun)