Jogja – Hundreds of workers from various trade unions in the Central Java province of Yogyakarta commemorated International Labour Day or May Day by declaring the formation of a mass organisation called “The House of the Indonesian People” during a rally in the centre of Yogyakarta city on May 1.
The social organisation (Ormas) represents a precursor to a political party that will be formed by trade unions.
“This Ormas is part of an embryo for the establishment of a political party, our target for this party in 2019 is already official”, said Yogyakarta Indonesian Employees Association (Aspek) regional leadership board treasurer Agung Nugroho during a break in the May Day commemorations on Sunday.
During the declaration of the Home of the Indonesian People social organisations, which will act on behalf of Indonesian workers, teachers, students, youth, women and the ordinary people, the groups said that it will fight for democracy and social justice for all Indonesian people.
Issues such as the organisation’s public program, constitution and other stipulations will be prepared thoroughly in the shortest possible time frame.
Agung said that plans to establish a workers’ political party represents a mutual desire because up until now the existing political parties have not accommodated the interests and demands of workers.
“So it will be more effective if workers have their own representative that will specifically fight for workers”, he said.
[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Buruh Deklarasikan Ormas Cikal Bakal Partai.]
