Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) President Said Iqbal says that hundreds of thousands if not a million workers affiliated with the KSPI are ready to take part in the Action to Defend Islam by holding a national strike.

Jakarta – A demonstration by thousands of people in Jakarta calling on Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama to be arrested and charged for blasphemy has elicited a variety of responses from labour groups.

Jakarta – Using the momentum of Youth Pledge Day on Friday October 28, the Student Struggle Center for National Liberation (Pembebasan) held commemorations to mark the historic day in Jakarta and other cities around the country.

Jakarta action

Shinta Maharani, Yogyakarta – Hundreds of informal sector workers from the Yogyakarta People’s and Worker Alliance (ARPY) called for the protection to ensure the rights of home-based and domestic workers and the fulfillment social guarantees by the Social Security Management Agency (BPJS).

Puji Sukiswanti, Denpasar – Hundreds of workers from the United Balinese Labour Alliance (ABBB) held a rally to commemorate International Labour Day which falls on May 1.

Banda Aceh – Scores of workers from the Aceh Labour Alliance (ABA) in Indonesia’s northern most province of Aceh commemorated May Day by calling on the governor to set the provincial minimum wage (UMP) for 2017 at 2.8 million rupiah a month.

Jakarta – A people’s conference titled Fighting Criminalisation and Wining Democracy (Lawan Kriminalisasi dan Rebut Demokrasi) was held at the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta) offices in Central Jakarta on April 9.

Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) chairperson Said Iqbal is again talking up the issue of mass dismissals (PHK), saying most recently that the wave of layoffs has also hit the pharmaceutical industry.

Yura Syahrul – According to the World Bank, inequality levels in Indonesia have steadily increased over the last 15 years. The rate at which this inequality has risen is the fastest among countries in the East Asia region.

Adi Marsiela/PCN, Bandung – At least 200 workers from the West Java Labour Alliance (Al-Jabar) began marching from the West Java provincial capital of Bandung to Jakarta on Monday November 16.

Sherr Rinn – The Indonesian Labour Movement (GBI), which is made up of the Indonesian Metal Trade Workers Federation (FSPMI)/Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPSI), the Confederation of the All-Indonesian Workers Union (KSPSI), the Confederation of Prosperity Labour Unions (KSBSI), the Indonesian Labour Union Confederation Preparatory

Karawang – Around 3,000 workers from the Karawang district branch of the Fraternity of Indonesian Muslim Workers (PPMI) organised a convoy in the West Java industrial zone on Wednesday November 11. This was a warm-up action in the lead up to a ‘stop production’ action rejecting Government Regulation Number 78/2015 (PP 78/2015) on Wages.

Avit Hidayat, Surabaya – Commemorating International Labour Day in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) held a silent protest at the Surabaya monument for press struggle on Friday May 1.

Dwi Renjani, Bandung – Hundreds of workers held a rally in front of the governor’s office at the Gedung Sate building in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung on International Labour Day where they made a number of demands.

Puji Sukiswanti, Denpasar – Hundreds of workers from the Balinese United Labour Alliance (ABBB) held a rally at the Bali Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building in the provincial capital of Denpasar on April 30.

Adela Eka Putra Marza – After expressing their disagreement several days ago over the setting of the Jakarta minimum provincial wage (UMP) for 2015, which has declined relative to the value of the rupiah against the US dollar, on Wednesday November 26 workers finally took to the streets to convey their demand for a revision of the UMP.

Mochammad Arifin, Cikarang – A day after the government announced an increase in fuel (BBM) prices, on Tuesday November 18 around 200 workers held a long-march from Gate 10 in the Jababeka 2 area of South Cikarang to the Bekasi regent’s office.

Sherr Rinn – Around two hundred workers from the Solidarity Alliance for Labour Struggle (GSPB) held an action opposing the recently enacted law on regional elections (UU Pilkada) at the offices of the Bekasi regent’s office in the Jakarta satellite city of Bekasi on Tuesday October 14.

Jakarta – Starting in 2015, the wage remuneration system will be revised. Workers will be paid based on education level, productivity, length of employment, achievements and position. Demands for wage increases will only be implemented if a company is profitable.

Pribadi Wicaksono, Yogyakarta – The Yogyakarta Workers Alliance (ABY) has slammed the draft law on regional elections (RUU Pilkada) saying it will bring suffering to workers in the future.