Factory workers from the East Java Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) held a demonstration to greet International Labour Day on May 1 in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya demanding the abolition of contract labour and outsourcing.

The action took place in front of the State Grahadi building – the East Java governor’s office – on Jl. Pahlawan and the Surabaya District Court. Protesters came from a number of cities in East Java including Malang, Sidoarjo, Gresik, Pasuruan, Mojokerto, Jombang, Kediri and Jember.

ABM spokesperson Jamaludin said that workers are currently facing a number of labour problems. Contract labour systems and outsourcing, which are regulated under the 2003 labour law in Indonesia, allow companies to employ workers by bonding them as contract labourers.

“Whereas, they are working in permanent types of jobs. Workers can so easily become destitute just because their contracts are not extended or companies think they no longer need them”, he said.

Indonesian Employers Association advisor Wiem Patiradjawane said that he supports workers obtaining their rights. He called on companies to view workers as partners. “Don’t just view workers as a burden. If workers are prosperous, the company will get more profits because productivity will rise”, he said.

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski.]