Arthur Gideon, Jakarta – Thousands of workers began taking to the streets this Thursday, October 24, to demand an increase in the 2025 minimum wage and the annulment of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation.
Demonstrations will not just be held today, but workers plan to hold a wave of protests between October 24 and 31. These actions will involve hundreds of thousands of workers, including teachers, in 38 provinces and more than 350 regencies and municipalities throughout Indonesia.
In order to secure the labour action, Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief Senior Commissioner Susatyo Purnomo Condro said that police have deployed 1,270 joint personnel. "The personnel involved were taken from 1,270 personnel", he said in a written statement on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the head of the Metro Jaya Regional Police public relations division Senior Commoner Ade Ary Syam Indradi said that joint personnel were deployed at several points in the city including around the National Monument (Monas) area. "The target of the security was the Monas area in Jakarta", he said.
Indradi said that police were also prepared to reroute traffic near the location of the demonstration but this was situational depending on any escalation on the ground.
"If the number of protesters increases or there's an escalation then road closures will be carried out, if the number of protesters is not large, traffic will be as normal", he said.
Furthermore, Indradi appealed to the demonstrations to adhere to regulation guidelines according to applicable laws.
"Please convey your aspirations calmly and peacefully, there [should] be no hate speech or provocations that could interfere with the stability of Kamtibmas [security and public order]", he said.
Workers' demands
Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) and Labour Party President Said Iqbal, emphasised that workers are taking to streets in waves following the inauguration President Prabowo Subianto on October 20.
The actions will be held to fight for two main issues, namely an increase in the 2025 minimum wage and to oppose the Omnibus Law on Job Creation (UU Cipta Kerja).
Iqbal said they are demanded a minimum wage increase of 8-10 percent. According to Iqbal, the determination of wage increases should not use Government Regulation (PP) Number 51/2023 on the Minimum Wage because the regulation is currently still being challenged in Constitutional Court.
"The KSPI and the Labour Party have submitted a judicial review of the UU Cipta Kerja which is the basis of the PP. Therefore the KSPI rejects the use of PP Number 51 as a basis for determining the 2025 minimum wage and is asking the ad interim Minister of Labour not to make any decisions related to wages before the results of the judicial review are announced by the Constitutional Court", Iqbal said earlier in a statement on Saturday October 19.
The labour demonstration over a period of seven consecutive days will be carried out simultaneously in several regions and in waves in other regions. The actions will begin in Jakarta on October 24 when thousands of workers will gather in front of the State Palace.
Protests in other regions
Following this the actions will spread to other regions from West Java to the Riau Islands and from Batam to industrial and mining cities such as Surabaya (East Java), Medan (North Sumatra), Makassar (South Sulawesi), Kendari (Southeast Sulawesi) and Timika (Papua) on October 25. This will be followed by demonstrations in other regions until October 31.
"In some regions, the actions will be carried out in waves in accordance with the schedule set by each trade union in the area", he added.
Aside from demanding an increase in the 2025 minimum wages, the KSPI and the Labour Party are also calling for the Jobs Law to be revoked, especially the cluster articles on labour and the protection of farmers.
Iqbal emphasised that over the past two years, workers' wages have either not risen or only experienced an increase below the inflation rate, so workers' purchasing power has continued to decline.
This situation is exacerbated by the news that the new government will set a minimum wage below the inflation rate, a move that is very unfair for workers. Therefore, hundreds of thousands of workers will take to the streets to ensure their rights are defended and recognised.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Tuntut Upah Minimum Naik, Buruh Gelar Demo Mulai Hari Ini".]
