Thousands of workers go on strike again over decrees
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of workers took to the streets again on Monday, demanding that the government revoke two ministerial decrees accused of undermining workers' rights.
In Jakarta, more than 5,000 workers from industrial estates in the center and outskirts of Jakarta, grouped under the Federation of All Indonesian Workers Union (FSPSI) and Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI), marched from the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle to the Merdeka Selatan office of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
During the march they voiced opposition to the two controversial decrees, which annul employers' obligations to pay severance and service payments to resigning and retiring workers, as well as employees dismissed for committing major violations.
"We reject ministerial decrees No.78 and No. 111," a demonstrator shouted.
"The decrees are products of an ailing government that has bowed down to investors who are not committed to improving their workers' future," said another protester.
The two decrees revoked the decree No. 150/2000, regulating severance and service payments for retiring and resigning workers.
Jacob Nua Wea, chairman of FSPSI, said in a free speech forum held near the vice president's office that workers would not give up until the new decrees were revoked.
"Tomorrow we will occupy the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration and force Minister Al-Hilal Hamdi to step down because, with the issuance of such decrees, he is a minister for investors," he said.
The workers staged their demonstration under the close watch of vice presidential security guards and hundreds of police officers. They dispersed peacefully after failing to meet with the vice president, who was presiding over a ministerial meeting on the economy.
Al-Hilal issued the two ministerial decrees over the last three months to amend the 2000 decree, issued by his predecessor Bomer Pasaribu, following pressure from investors.
Accident
In the East Java town of Sidoarjo, three striking workers from household goods manufacturer PT Maspion were injured when a truck transporting them to the provincial capital of Surabaya was involved in a head-on collision with another truck.
Saha Budi, 30, sustained a fractured leg, while his two colleagues, Aries Suryaminto, 21, and Nurwito, 23, received minor leg injuries. All three men were admitted to the Sidoarjo General Hospital.
Thousands of workers from industrial zones in Sidoarjo poured into the neighboring city of Surabaya to stage a rally at the provincial legislative council and the governor's office, where they demanded support for their fight against the two anti-labor decrees.
Didik Utomo, chairman of the FSPSI unit in Sidoarjo, said the group would continue its demonstration until the two decrees were revoked.
"It has been our commitment to put up a fight for labor protection," he said, adding that several labor activists from the town had been sent to Jakarta to meet with the manpower and transmigration minister and demand the decrees' revocation.
Lutfilah Masduki, the National Awakening Party's representative in the provincial legislative council, said in a meeting with the striking workers that the provincial legislature supported their demand and would coordinate with the provincial administration to seek a peaceful solution.
He said governor Imam Utomo had sent a letter to the manpower and transmigration minister asking him to review the two decrees.
"In the letter, the governor also suggests that the minister reinstate the 2000 decree," Lutfilah said.
Ismail Syarif, chairman of FSPSI's East Java chapter, admitted he had been ordered to cancel the rally but the instruction was ignored.
"We asked our activists in Sidoarjo to call off the rally after the provincial administration pledged to enforce the 2000 decree, but the workers did not heed the instruction," he said. (rms/nur)