Thousands of workers commemorate Labor Day

JAKARTA (JP): Workers across the country rallied in observance of International Labor Day on Monday to voice their demands, including a 100 percent pay increase.

At least 1,500 workers from various organizations grouped under the National Front Struggle for Indonesian Workers (FNPBI) held a demonstration at the House of Representatives to air their demands.

Apart from the salary hike, the workers urged the government to reinstate International Labor Day as a national holiday, as it was during the administration of founding president Sukarno.

"We demand the day dedicated to workers be a paid holiday," FNPBI chairwoman Dita Indah Sari said.

Dita, who is also an activist from the People's Democratic Party (PRD), said workers were also calling on the government not to increase fuel prices.

Artists and students joined the rally, as did a number of PRD branch organizations, such as the People and Workers Committee for Reform, the National Farmers Union and the People's Art Network.

Hundreds of dismissed workers from Reebok shoe producer PT Kong Tai Indonesia, who have been gathered at the House for weeks, mingled with the rally participants.

A worker from private firm PT Tongkyong Indonesia tied himself to a statue in front of the House building to protest his and his friends' dismissals.

With the House on recess, no legislators were present to meet with the workers.

Separately, hundreds of workers from the Greater Jakarta Workers Union marched from the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Jl. Thamrin to the National Monument, voicing the same demands as those workers rallying at the House.

Labor Day was also observed in the major cities of Surabaya, Semarang, Bandung and Medan.

In the East Java capital of Surabaya, demonstrators included workers from plasticware company PT Maspion and cigarette producer PT Gudang Garam. They rejected the labor bill which is now being deliberated in the House, saying it restricted workers' rights.

Some 150 workers took to the streets of Semarang, the capital of Central Java, to demand better treatment. Gathering at the provincial legislature building, the demonstrators, who claimed to represent the North Coast Workers Association and at least six non-governmental organizations, demanded the government declare May 1 a national holiday.

They were received by a group of legislators, led by the deputy speaker of the legislative council, Ircham Abdurrochim.

In Bandung, about 200 people from the People's Coalition of FNPBI staged a protest at the provincial legislature building on Jl. Diponegoro, demanding a 100 salary hike and freedom to create labor unions.

The group sang anticapitalism songs and waved banners before meeting with councilors, who promised to deliver their demands to the government.

Some 3,000 workers from the Medan Independent Workers Union also held a rally to demand wage increases. (39/25/nur/har/edt/sur/jun)