Ina Parlina and Yuliasri Perdani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Headlines | Tue, April 30 2013, 10:52 AM
Paper Edition | Page: 1
The country’s workers unions are set to stage rallies across
Indonesia to commemorate Labor Day on May 1, with marches organized
across the archipelago.
National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said his men were ready for the May Day rallies.
“It
is an annual event, so it is important to keep it orderly,” he said on
the sidelines of a meeting at the Presidential Palace complex on Monday.
“So please keep it peaceful and orderly. [You] are allowed to express
your aspirations, but don’t disturb the activities of other people.” He
acknowledged that Jakarta would be “a priority”.
“Don’t worry about the blocking of toll roads by protesters; we all hope it won’t not occur,” he added.
Jakarta
Traffic Police deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo warned
motorists to avoid the rally’s three checkpoints at the Presidential
Palace and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle both in Central Jakarta
and the House of Representatives in South Jakarta.
“We will let
the public know about traffic detours during the May Day event through
the Traffic Management Center [TMC] website as well as through Twitter
and Facebook. There will also be live radio broadcasts,” he said.
Thousands
of workers in Tangerang regency are planning to block access to the
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on May 1 to pressure President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
“We will not leave the airport until
the president comes to talk with us,” said Mukhtar Guntur from the
People Movement against Capitalism (Gerak) on Monday.
Gerak
coordinator Koswara explained that their 13 demands included the
elimination of the outsourcing system, the freedom of the workers’
association, better wages and for the government to decline requests
from their employers to suspend the higher 2013 wages.
“We are
tired of holding rallies at the Presidential Palace without any
reaction. Therefore, we will just stage a rally at the airport,” he
said.
Depok Police coordinated with the unions about their May
Day plans. Chief Sr. Comr. Achmad Kartiko said that the police would
deploy 695 personnel to secure the event, while asking the unions not to
target factories in Depok operating on that day.
Timur said that the President planned to meet with workers in Surabaya during the May Day event.
On
Monday afternoon, Yudhoyono met with several figures that represented
the unions, including chairman of the Confederation of Indonesian
Workers Union (KSPI) Said Iqbal, Indonesian Labor Movement Council
(MPBI) chairman Andi Gani and Congress Alliance of Indonesian Labor
Unions (KASBI) chairperson Nining Elitos.
“In short, we share the
same commitment and interests,” Yudhoyono told the meeting. “I have
often agreed that we want better workers welfare. It’s not fair: High
economic growth, the industry is well developed, yet the workers see no
progress.”
Yudhoyono urged protestors to keep the rallies peaceful.
Manpower
and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar, who also attended the
dialogue, told the press that they had agreed to have a meeting ahead of
May Day to share ideas.
“We talked about how to improve the
social security provider [BPJS] as well as its regulations, the
provincial minimum wage [UMP] and outsourcing,” Muhaimin said after the
meeting.
Said Iqbal said Yudhoyono promised that “as long as the
economy is growing, the workers would enjoy the wage. So let’s wait
until it improves.” He also revealed that the President said May Day
would be a national holiday next year. (tam)
Multa Fidrus and Yuli Tri Suwarni contributed to the article from Tangerang and Depok
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