Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – A demonstration commemorating Labour Day in the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan was joined by around 4,000 workers. The action was centred at the Majestik traffic circle because government offices were closed for the May Day public holiday.
The May Day actions were held by labour organisations separately. On group demonstrated in the Medan Industrial Zone 2 (KIM), another group gathered at the Merdeka Field, while a third went directly to the Majestik traffic circle on Jl. Gatot Subroto.
Some of the workers did demonstrate at the South Sumatra Regional House of Representatives on Jl. Imam Bonjo and the governor’s office on Jl. Diponegoro. However upon realising that the offices were closed, the protesters disbanded and moved off to the Majestik traffic circle.
In total the labour demonstrations in Medan were joined by an estimated 4 thousand people. They came from a number of labour organisations including the Trade Union Alliance, the North Sumatra Trade Union (SBSU), the United Indonesian Trade Union (SBBI), the 1992 All Indonesia Trade Union (SBSI 92) and the Teplok Legal Aid Foundation.
The issues taken up at the actions were similar such as the problem of the lack of workers’ welfare, outsourcing that must be abolished and various other issues. “The problem of workers’ welfare has yet to become a concern for the government”, said Erwin Manalu, one of the action coordinators in Medan on Thursday May 1.
The protest actions in Medan, which proceeded in an orderly fashion with protesters using various kinds of vehicles, were escorted by hundreds of police at each local action (rul/asp)
[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service.]
