"May Day", the cry of workers who drive the wheels of the economy
Workers poured out at the Arjuna Wijaya Statue near the Jakarta National Monument to demand their rights on World Labor Day.
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Commemoration of World Labor Day, Wednesday (1/5/2024), around the Arjuna Wijaya Statue near the National Monument, Jakarta.
Hundreds of women, predominantly dressed in red, held high red cloth and posters, while blowing syringes. This action lasted for 10 seconds and ended with the shout “Long live the woman. Long live the laborer”.
The female workers who are members of the Indonesian Women's Action are demanding their rights in commemoration of World Labor Day around the Arjuna Wijaya Statue. near the National Monument, Jakarta, Wednesday (1/5/2024).
The blazing sun and hot air from morning to afternoon did not dampen their spirits. Shouts of "Long live Indonesian women", "Pay women's work properly", "Raise wages. Reduce working hours,” “This body is mine. Don't be exploited," and "Women, let's unite, let's fight together" echoed amidst the actions of thousands of workers from various unions and alliances.
"The red cloth and whistles are warning signs of an emergency. The red cloth and whistles serve as a form of warning to laborers and a caution to the government/authorities that discrimination and violence still exist and occur," said the field coordinator of the Indonesian Women's Action, Salsa.
Also read: Workers Demand the Revoking of the Job Creation Law to Protect Work Partners
The International Labor Organization (ILO), in the All Can Be Affected! survey in 2022, found high levels of violence and sexual harassment in the workplace. The survey involved 1,173 respondents from various regions in the country between August 12 and September 13, 2022.
A total of 70.93 percent of respondents have experienced violence and harassment in the workplace. Meanwhile, 72.77 percent of respondents have witnessed violence and harassment in the workplace, and 53.36 percent of respondents have become victims as well as witnesses.
The survey also found that 69.35 percent of respondents have experienced more than one type of violence and harassment. Psychological violence and harassment dominate (77.4 percent), followed by sexual violence and harassment (50.48 percent).
It is not surprising that these hundreds of female workers are urging the government to ratify the 2019 ILO Convention on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the Workplace. They are also demanding fair wages, the elimination of gender-based discrimination in the workplace, and the enactment of the Domestic Workers Protection Law.
Workers demand their rights during the celebration of International Workers' Day or May Day on Wednesday (1/5/2024), in the vicinity of Arjuna Wijaya statue near the National Monument, Jakarta.
Worthy
Labor unions or alliances also demand the repeal of the Job Creation Law, the elimination of the outsourcing work system, and the protection of workers in partnership relationships. All for the sake of wages and a decent life.
"Greetings, with Rp 80,000. In the year 2024, the price of basic necessities will rise," joked Mida (33), a manufacturing factory worker from the MM 2100 industrial area, in Bekasi Regency, West Java.
His words caused laughter from his fellow workers. They agreed that they had to be economical for their daily living needs.
The figure of Rp 80,000 that became the subject of jokes for Mida and friends refers to the increase in the minimum wage in Bekasi Regency by Rp 81,687.56 or 1.59 percent, making it Rp 5,219,263. The amount is far from the expectations or demands of laborers, which is 13 percent.
"We reject Job Creation. It's just troublesome. "Labors are paid cheaply, work hours are arbitrary, and it is difficult to become permanent employees because of outsourcing," he said.
Also read: Saying International Workers' Day, President: Workers are Heroes
Similar to Dedi (35), a pharmaceutical factory worker in the Pulogadung Industrial Area, East Jakarta. This father of four came dressed in a clown costume, wearing a poster that read "Workers resemble clowns trapped in their own country."
"The Job Creation Law makes workers like clowns. We have no bargaining power. Employers can easily lay us off with reasons of efficiency or the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
Data from the Ministry of Manpower, for the period January-March 2024, shows that there were 12,395 layoffs (PHK). The most layoffs occurred in Jakarta, involving 5,225 workers. This figure is almost half of the national figure.
Dedi's anxiety increased because the 2022 Cost of Living Survey by the Central Statistics Agency ranked Jakarta as the city with the most expensive cost of living, namely IDR 14.88 million per month. This survey targeted 240,000 households and 847 commodities in 150 districts/cities.
Commemoration of World Labor Day or May Day, Wednesday (1/5/2024), around the Arjuna Wijaya Statue near the National Monument, Jakarta.
From the survey, it was also found that there are four commodities of goods/services in Jakarta with the highest consumption value, namely electricity tariffs (6.58%), housing contracts (5.56%), gasoline (4.86%), and house rent (4.34%).
"Hopefully wages can increase more than the Job Creation regulations. "In accordance with real conditions in society," he said.
The most layoffs occurred in Jakarta, involving 5,225 workers. This figure is almost half of the national figure.
It is known that the minimum wage in Jakarta has increased by Rp 165,583 to Rp 5,067,381. This increase is in accordance with the government's proposal during the Wage Council Session.
Workers rejected the proposed wage increase as it did not meet their demand of Rp 5,637,068. Meanwhile, employers accepted the decision despite being unsatisfactory as they proposed Rp 5,043,068.
Thousands of workers demanded their rights during the commemoration of International Workers' Day or May Day, on Wednesday (May 1, 2024) around the Arjuna Wijaya statue near the National Monument in Jakarta.
Speechless
Amid the hustle and bustle of May Day commemorations, a group of laborers performed a pantomime. This was their form of protest against the government's seemingly silent response to labor demands.
Irin (38), a garment factory worker from Karawang Regency, West Java, went to Jakarta with a group to participate in a protest. They departed at 7:00 AM.
"This pantomime is more relevant to the government. Workers' aspirations are often not heard. "They seemed silent," he said.
Irin and her friends were silent while showing posters that read "Job security for the people", "Labor law is just a joke", "Subsidies for farmers and fishermen", "Stop layoffs", and others.
Also read: Labor Day Rumble in Jakarta
This father of three winces as the cost of basic necessities significantly rises, while his wages remain the opposite. The current minimum wage in Karawang is IDR 5,257,834 or an increase of IDR 81,654. This increase is far below the previous year's increase, which reached IDR 377,867.
“The necessities of life are expensive. Now, basic necessities have skyrocketed. "It's not comparable to the increase in wages," he said with a wry smile.
President Joko Widodo congratulated International Workers' Day through his social media account at 11:03 am WIB. In the tweet, the President said that every worker is a daily hero who keeps the economic wheels turning. Let us continue the spirit of struggle of the workers to achieve justice and prosperity together. Happy International Workers' Day.
