Muhammad Habib – Around 1,000 workers from the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI) commemorated May Day on Thursday May 1 by blockading the Raya Manyar highway in Gresik city, East Java. The blockade caused hundreds of vehicles to be caught in a traffic jam extending several kilometres.
Carrying posters with their demands, the workers held a convoy led by motorcycles around Gresik city which ending at the regent’s office. The workers called on the government to abolish outsourcing, rejected low wages, demanded social security, free education and healthcare.
Action coordinator Hakam said that the road blockade was an expression of their annoyance with the government which they said had failed to bring prosperity to its people, particularly workers. “The SBY-Boediono [President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Vice President Boediono] government has failed to bring prosperity to the people. Abolish outsourcing work systems”, said Hakam in a speech.
The workers also threatened to boycott the presidential elections on July 9 if their demands were not met. After blockading the highway, the protesters continued their action by conducting a sweep of factories in the Gresik industrial zone looking for workers who were still on the job. (ren)
[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service.]
