JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The celebration of International Labor Day on Wednesday was marked with demonstrations in a number of regions of Indonesia. The workers raised three important issues, namely wages, welfare and social security, as well as union management.
In addition to Jakarta, demonstrations were held in Bandung, Manado, Purwokerto, Yogyakarta, Cirebon, Karawang, Batam, Sidoarjo, Pontianak, Banjarmasin, Surabaya, Semarang, Bandar Lampung and Medan, among other places. The workers gave speeches and held rallies to convey their aspirations, most of which were related to the issues mentioned above.
However, workers in a number of regions also celebrated Labor Day with other activities, such as walking for health, blood donation and mass gymnastics. Some unrest occurred in Jakarta, Bandung and Surabaya, but security forces kept them under control, so they did not expand.
In Bandung, police chased a group of people who were about to join in activities at Gedung Sate. A group of high school and university students came with headgear and black clothes. Police dispelled them, because the group damaged and scribbled on cars of workers with paint on Jl. Singaperbangsa, Bandung.
In Jakarta, a mob clad in black damaged the Transjakarta lane separator near the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle. Police have not yet identified individuals of the crowd in black, who were carrying a red and black flag.
Indonesian Labor Institute analyst Rekson Silaban said discontent about wages was due to inconsistency in Government Regulation No. 78/2015 on wages. The minimum wage, according to that regulation, is set by the government, but Law No. 13/2003 on labor stipulates that the minimum wage is determined through a tripartite mechanism.
Regarding welfare, he said many vulnerable workers were excluded from the Workers Social Security program. According to Rekson, the international labor community had asked local unions to get stronger, both in terms of representation, independence and organizational governance.
The independence of labor unions in Indonesia is considered problematic, with several unions having openly expressed their partiality to certain political parties. All Indonesian Workers\' Organizations secretary-general Timboel Siregar said there were still a number of unresolved issues, regarding outsourcing of labor, industrial relations disputes and the quality of labor inspectors.
However, wages and social security were the main issues. Manpower Minister M. Hanif Dhakiri welcomed the fact that International Labor Day 2019 in cities and regencies across the country was
generally commemorated in an orderly and safe manner. "May Day 2019 is the right moment to respond to changes and improve the ecosystem of employment," Hanif said.
According to Hanif, the government has taken various steps to improve the welfare of workers. For example, a wage increase is guaranteed every year. In addition, there is a program to expand social security benefits to workers employed outside the formal sector.
According to Hanif, the Indonesian employment system must adapt to accommodate changes in the labor market, from the productivity of workers to the nature of industrial relations. (MED/NIK/NSA/ESA/SEM/HRS/VIO/SYA/ DKA/JUM/IKI/XTI/NDU/OKA/MEL/WAD