Jakarta – Former labour activist Dita Indah Sari says that a mature labour movement must strengthen its “negotiating muscles” or capacity to negotiate with individual companies rather then organise big demonstrations to achieve wage settlements.

Sulistiyono, Jakarta – Labour Movement National Committee (KNGB) member Said Iqbal has confirmed that a national strike will be held in late October and will be joined by millions of workers and include, among other things, demands for the abolition of outsourcing.

Jakarta – Thousands of workers from Jakarta and surrounding areas demonstrated demanding welfare improvements on Thursday October 17. The action created traffic jams between Jl. Jenderal Sudirman, Jl Thamrin, the Indonesia traffic circle and in the vicinity of the State Palace. Similar protest were held in West and East Java.

Sherr Rinn – Between 2010-12 there was an awakening of the Indonesian labour movement that can be seen in the writings of people such as Danial Indrakusuma, Rahmat, Tarikh, Hidayah and Rekomendasi.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Hundreds of workers and students from a number of different organisations in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held an action commemorating May Day today. A regional house member was greeted with shouts and boos.

[The following is a joint statement by the Yogyakarta Working People’s Association-Political Organisation Congress (KPO-PRP), the Politics of the People (PR) and the People’s Liberation Party (PPR).]

Jakarta – Workers from the Joint Labour Secretariat (Sekber Buruh) have agreed to hold a national strike on October 3. They are demanding the abolition of outsourcing and contract labour systems, which they insist harms the working class.

The following is a compilation of abridged translations from the Indonesian media on commemorations held around the country to mark 19 years since the death of labour activist Marsinah. Marsinah was a women activist who led a strike at the PT Catur Putra Surya watch factory in Surabaya, East Java.

Ita Lismawati F. Malau, Oscar Ferri – After 19 years and 14 years of reformasi (the reform process beginning in 1998), Marsinah’s killer has still not been found. The government is being called on not to neglect the case until the 20-year statute of limitations for murder cases expires.

Rochmanuddin, Jakarta – The Marsinah FM Radio Community together with the Free Women National Committee (KNPM), the Cross-Factory Labour Forum (FBLP), the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (Kasbi), the Solidarity Alliance for Labour Struggle-United Indonesian Labour Movement (GSPB-PPBI) and the Student Struggle Center for National Liberat

PT Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of Freeport McMoran Cooper and Gold – of which 90.64 percent of the shares are owned by Freeport CEO James R. Moffet – is the largest mining company in the world. Freeport contributes 95 percent of the entire production of gold by Freeport McMoran and a significant percentage of its copper production.

Jakarta – The People’s Liberation Party (PPR) reports that a person was shot dead by security forces during a clash with thousands of PT Freeport Indonesia employees at the Gorong-Gorong bus terminal in Timika, West Papua, on the morning of Monday October 10.

We fully support the strike by PT Freeport Indonesia workers for better wages and conditions. The government must guarantee legal protection to the workers and protect them against intimidation and threats while they are on strike and conducting negotiations with the company in accordance with Law Number 13/2003 on Labour.

Aprizal Rahmatullah, Jakarta – Starting off the second week of August the capital city will be besieged with protest actions, with at least 15 demonstrations enlivening Jakarta today. Beware of traffic jams.

Marsinah was a woman worker who was militant and courageous.

Sofian, Jakarta – Loading and unloading activities at the Koja Container Terminal (TPK Koja) in North Jakarta were paralyzed by a strike that began at midnight on May 1 and will continue for two days.

A new alliance or united front organization was formed in January in Indonesia to fight the current neo-liberal policies of the Indonesian government. Its leaflet calling for a January 28 protest action lists 17 organisations.

E. Mei/Amelia. R, Jakarta – At least four protest actions will strike the capital city today and motorists are advised to be on the lookout for areas that could potentially become congested.

Reza M., Jakarta – A number of main thoroughfares in the capital city of Jakarta will be enlivened by protest actions this morning, Wednesday July 16.

Samarinda – Hundreds of workers from the East Kalimantan National Liberation Front (FPN) in the provincial city of Samarinda plan to take to the streets again to day, Monday July 14, to demand that the regional minimum wage be raised to 1.3 million rupiah per month.