More than 135,000 workers protest at central Jakarta in May Day rally - 01May2013

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• published: 02 May 2013
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JAKARTA: Thousands of workers took to the streets of Indonesia on May Day to demand better wages and benefits. More than 135,000 workers from three major labour union confederations gathered in central Jakarta in Wednesday's massive May Day rally. The crowd of protesters marching to the presidential palace and Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration halted public transportation and closed down major roads. Those rallying in the capital were mostly from the greater Jakarta area and nearby cities such as Karawang and Purwakarta in West Java. The protesters demanded an end to the cheap labour policy, a reduction on outsourcing as well as the implementation of a national healthcare scheme. There were also calls for the government to drop plans to raise the price of subsidized petrol. They say inflation will push up living costs and will add to their plight, despite significant minimum wage raise increases for labourers last January. Said Iqbal, president of the Confederation of Indonesian Worker's Union, said: "We are demanding a 30 percent rise in the minimum wage this year. We will continue to demand a 30 percent salary raise over the next three years." Similar rallies were also held in major cities such as Medan, Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Makassar. Aside from labourers, this year's May Day protests have attracted some 3,000 contract teachers and workers from government offices, who plan to stage a rally in front of the presidential palace. The teachers are using the occasion to protest against the recent national examinations, the new 2013 curriculum and what they claim is the commercialization of the education sector by the government." Disgruntled journalists under the Alliance of Indonesian Journalists also joined the protests. A recent survey conducted among journalists show that many of the country's media companies are underpaying their employees and not providing healthcare and work insurance. They are also worried that journalists will be used to indirectly promote political party interests ahead of the 2014 general elections. Asep Saifullah, member of the Alliance of Indonesian Journalists, said: "We want journalists to be given the freedom and independence they need, especially during this political year." Meanwhile, the government has also decided to make May Day a national holiday starting next year. www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/thousands-march-in-indonesia-demanding-b/660516.html