Workers to take to the streets, airport on May Day

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)

(source: www.thejakartapost.com)