Muh Syaifullah, Yogyakarta – Workers and employees in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta used May Day to demand an eight-hour working day saying that workers in shopping centres are forced to work much longer than this.

“There are only a small number who employ workers for eight hours a day, however there are still many shop security guards who work from 8am to 9pm at night,” said Sleman regency Working People’s Association (PRP) coordinator Yudi Fajar on Friday May 1.

A number of organisations such as the PRP and the Indonesian Carrefour Trade Union (SPCI) held a peaceful action in front of the Yogyakarta Ambarukmo Plaza to commemorate International Labour Day. After holding speeches they marched towards the Yogyakarta Monument to meet up with other workers.

According to Yudi, workers and employees in Indonesia are still in fear of the threat of being dismissed as a result of the global financial crisis. In addition to this, employers are still failing to give workers their full rights such as a salary in accordance with the minimum wage, maternity leave and overtime pay and workers are also still intimidated by employers. “As of March this year, 37 companies in Yogyakarta have dismissed a total of 533 employees,” said Yudi.

The hundreds of workers who held the action also demanded job security through the abolition of outsourcing that enchains workers. “Workers must be involved in controlling companies in the form of agreements made democratically,” said Yudi.

[Translated by James Balowski.]