Imam Saputro, Solo – Workers in the Central Java city of Solo (Surakarta) chose to commemorate International Labour Day on Tuesday morning with a health walk instead of a demonstration.
Around 300 workers participated in the walk which was attended by Solo Mayor FX Hadi Rudyatmo and Solo municipal police chief Senior Commissioner Ribut Hari Wibowo.
Also attending were 0735/Surakarta district military commander Infantry Lieutenant Colonel Ali Akhwan and Surakarta Labour and Industry Office chief Agus Sutrisno.
The health walk, titled the May Day Fun Day, started at the Sriwedari Park then passed through Jl. Slamet Riyadi to Jl. Kebangkitan Nasional then on to Jl. Bhayangkara and returned to Sriwedari Park.
Solo National Trade Union (SPN) branch chairperson Hudi Wasisto said that his trade union was trying something new for this year’s commemoration of May Day.
“We want our voices to be better heard, so we conveyed our aspirations yesterday through dialogue with related parties”, he said on Tuesday May 1.
The dialogue, he said, was attended by trade unions, employers and the government. According to Wasisto this was a more effective way to convey their wishes.
“So this time round we took to the streets but instead of a demonstrating with a health walk”, he said.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was Bukan Demonstrasi, Buruh Kota Solo Peringati May Day dengan Jalan Sehat.]
