The COVID-19 Pandemic cannot stop workers from fighting for their rights during the commemoration of International Labor Day on Friday.
By
KOMPAS TEAM
·3 minutes read
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Several police officers stand guard in front of the gate of the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday (1/5/2020). This was done to anticipate the existence of workers\' actions which celebrated International Labor Day or May Day 2020.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The COVID-19 Pandemic cannot stop workers from fighting for their rights during the commemoration of International Labor Day on Friday. Although they could not take to the streets, workers announced their demands online and carried out various social actions. With the slogan "The People Help the People", this year\'s event emphasized the importance of community solidarity in dealing with this difficult time.
Workers in a number of countries face a similar threat, namely layoffs and unpaid leave due to the harsh impact of COVID-19 on the economy. In Indonesia, in addition to a wave of layoffs, workers have also been fighting against the deliberation of the labor provisions in the omnibus bill on job creation, because they believe the bill would weaken labor rights.
Various hashtags containing labor demands dominated the social media on Friday. They included #TolakOmnibusLaw (Reject the omnibus law), #MayDay2020, #StopPHK (Stop layoffs), #AtasiVirusCabutOmnibus (Overcome the virus, suspend the omnibus bill), #RakyatBantuRakyat (The people help the people) and #BacotanBuroh (Talk workers).
However, a number of labor organizations still carried out street protests. The Confederation of Indonesian Workers Union put banners in a number of areas, although they still followed the COVID-19 protocol by keeping a distance from one another. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Labor Workers Assembly distributed staple food to workers and the general public affected by COVID-19. Other labor groups invited the community to build solidarity among citizens and look after each other in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Similar activities were also carried out in other countries. In France, in addition to online demonstrations, workers commemorated Labor Day by singing on the balconies of their houses. In Finland, only a handful of people commemorated Labor Day by taking to the streets.
ANTARA FOTO/FAUZAN
A number of workers held a demonstration in front of the factory in Benda, Tangerang City, Banten, on Friday (1/5/2020).
Appreciation
Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah appreciated the way the workers celebrated Labor Day this year by going online instead of taking to the streets. The government has prepared several policies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on workers.
The mitigation includes providing stimulus for companies that refrain from laying off workers, a relief program for workers in the formal sector in the form of income tax incentives and a relaxation of BPJS health insurance premiums as well as social assistance for workers in the informal sector.
The people in the informal sector who lost their livelihood due to the pandemic numbers 538,385 people.
According to Manpower Ministry data as of 20 April, 2020, the number of formal sector workers laid off due to COVID-19 has reached 1.54 million people. Meanwhile, the people in the informal sector who lost their livelihood due to the pandemic numbers 538,385 people.
The secretary general of the Confederation of Indonesian Labor Unions, Michael, said citizens must strengthen their mutual solidarity in facing the current difficult situation. Workers cannot fight only for their own rights but should fight for the rights of all the people.
Elena Ekarahendy, the chair of the Media and Creative Industries Workers Union for Democracy, said that one of the concrete measures was to cut the salaries of government officials to increase social safety net funds for the people. The pandemic has demonstrated the fragility of the political economy which has so far concentrated wealth on a handful of people. (AFP/ADH /AGE)
