"May Day" action, decent wages and access to education fought by East Java workers

Apart from living wages, the issue of social security, health and access to education services is a crucial issue in East Java.

KOMPAS/RUNIK SRI ASTUTI

Workers in Sidoarjo staged a protest on Wednesday (1/5/2024) to commemorate May Day at Puri Surya Jaya. The demands made included improvements to the welfare of workers.

Commemoration of International Labor Day, May 1 2024, is predicted to be a momentum to voice improvements in the welfare of workers in East Java. Apart from living wages, issues related to social health security and access to educational services for workers' children are also crucial issues that continue to be fought for.

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the number of people working in East Java as of August 2023 is 22.7 million, an increase of 1.09 million people from August 2022. The sectors that experienced an increase in the number of workers were agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, which increased by 383,100 people. In addition, the processing industry increased by 230,390 people, and the accommodation and food and beverage sector increased by 213,250 people.

Out of a total of 22.7 million workers in East Java, only 8.37 million people or 36.89 percent work in formal activities. This means that the majority of workers in East Java work in informal activities. The number of informal workers reaches 14.33 million people or 63.11 percent.

The good news is that the proportion of full-time workers has increased by 957,210 people or 0.14 percent to 15.27 million people. This means that many workers in the informal sector are working full-time. This opens up opportunities for workers to earn a higher wage.

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Talking about workers in the formal sector, the majority are factory workers. The most industrial zoning is in the ring one area which includes Surabaya, Sidoarjo, Gresik, Mojokerto and Pasuruan. Sidoarjo is the area with the most dynamic labor movement because many leaders of labor organizations work and even live here.

RUNIK SRI ASTUTI

Female laborers took part in a demonstration to commemorate Labor Day on Wednesday (1/5/2024) in Puri Surya Jaya. Demands presented include improvements in labor welfare.

Based on Kompas's monitoring, International Labor Day commemorations in East Java were held in a number of areas, such as Surabaya and Sidoarjo. In Sidoarjo, for example, more than 5,000 workers gathered in the Puri Surya Jaya housing area, Gedangan District.

"Today we commemorate May Day, May 1 2024. We are not celebrating, but remembering the history of workers' struggles, the dark story of labor where to fight for working hours, workers had to lose their lives, ” said Khoirul Anam, action coordinator from the Sidoarjo Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Unions.

Khoirul stated that there are several local and national issues raised by workers in this year's Labour Day commemoration. These issues are directly related to the dynamics of the workers' daily lives, making them highly relevant.

One of them is the issue of health social security for workers that many companies still overlook. As a result, many factory workers have difficulty accessing adequate health services. If they want to access these health services, they have to pay their social security contributions independently, thus burdening their family finances.

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"Another local issue is the limited access to education for children of workers. We demand an increase in the quota for admission of children of workers from the previous 5 percent to 10 percent," said Khoirul.

RUNIK SRI ASTUTI

Joining the workers from Pasuruan on their way to Surabaya. Thousands of workers in Sidoarjo held a rally commemorating Labor Day on Wednesday (5/1/2024) at Puri Surya Jaya.

The demand was made based on the fact that many formal sector workers have been affected by job termination from the companies they work for. The layoffs are caused, among other things, by the company's performance not yet recovering after the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the impact of declining company performance due to the global crisis.

Meanwhile, the national issue being raised by workers in East Java is the repeal of the Job Creation Law because it is deemed not to be pro-labor, and even tends to protect the interests of entrepreneurs or investors. Also about outsourced workers and cheap wages.

The Chairman of the East Java Regional Management of the All-Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI), Achmad Fauzi, stated that workers reject the entire Job Creation Law because its substance harms employees and threatens their welfare. Many workers' rights have been reduced, so they no longer have high bargaining power against employers.

"We workers in East Java agree to reject the Omnibus Law on Job Creation because it clearly harms the workers. We are optimistic that the Prabowo Subianto administration will eventually be willing to open up space for improving workers' welfare through the revocation of the law," said Fauzi.

Outsourced workers are in a vulnerable position because they do not have high bargaining power. This is because they do not have a direct relationship with the company they work for, but rather through an intermediary company.

Another national issue that was also raised by East Java workers was related to outsourced labor and the rejection of low wages. This is crucial because the government has abolished Minister of Manpower Regulation Number 19 of 2012 concerning Conditions for Handing Over Part of Work Implementation to Other Companies.

RUNIK SRI ASTUTI

Using trucks and command cars, workers in Sidoarjo held a demonstration to commemorate Labor Day on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 in Puri Surya Jaya.

According to the regulation, not all jobs can be entrusted to other companies through temporary workers. However, with the non-use of such regulations as a reference, many jobs have the opportunity to be outsourced.

Despite that, these outsourced workers have a vulnerable position as they do not have high bargaining power. This is because they do not have a direct relationship with the company they work for, but through an intermediary company.

"We consider outsourcing as a form of modern slavery that must be opposed," said Fauzi, who claimed that the demonstration in Surabaya reached more than 20,000 workers.

One worker in Sidoarjo, Wawan Kurniawan (27), said that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a job in a factory as a permanent employee. Most factories prefer to recruit contract workers because it is more profitable for the company.

“Like me, I have been an outsourced worker for five years. During that time, I was transferred to three different companies so I had no career path. Selawase (forever) will be a manual laborer," said Wawan.

In addition to not having the opportunity to pursue a career, the received wage is also not in accordance with the minimum wage of Sidoarjo Regency (UMK). He acknowledged only receiving 50 percent of UMK Sidoarjo 2024 which amounts to Rp 4.795.570 per month per worker.

Wawan added that the company he works for also does not provide health social security, so he had to become an independent participant when his wife gave birth. Workers' lives are increasingly alarming with the absence of employment social security guarantees, including old age social security.

"I'm still not thinking about joining BPJS employment because it will definitely increase my expenses for paying monthly contributions. "Just thinking about the current conditions, it's still difficult with a mediocre income," said Wawan.

Workers are economic heroes who make a real contribution to regional and national economic development. It is only right that their voices be heard by the policymakers in this country, so that workers can become more prosperous and the nation can become more empowered.

Also read: Workers Demand the Revoking of the Job Creation Law to Protect Work Partners