Mega Putra Ratya, Jakarta – A number of protest actions will colour Jakarta today with at least nine demonstrations expected to inundate various parts of the capital. Watch out for traffic jams!

Ari Saputra, Jakarta – Hundreds of workers from various labour organisations held a protest action at the front gates of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta on October 20.

Hery Winarno, Jakarta – The inauguration of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Boediono as the president and vice president of the Republic of Indonesia for the period 2009-2014 will be the target of thousands of protesters. Scores of mass organisations will hold protest actions in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building.

Shohib Masykur, Jakarta – Thirteen protest actions will be held in Jakarta today. As usual, it seems that traffic jams will be unavoidable, particularly on roads such as Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta and HR Rasuna Said in South Jakarta, which will be the most frequent targets of the protests.

Nograhany Widhi K., Jakarta – On the first day of the new school term, Jakarta will be besieged by six demonstrations. One of them will be held in front of the Chinese Embassy in the Mega Kuningan area of South Jakarta.

Judi Prasetyo, Jombang – Workers from the Independent Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI-Independen) have agreed to boycott the coming July 8 presidential elections by not using their right to vote or to golput.

Jombang – Thousands of workers have declared their opposition to participating in the July 8 presidential elections. The agreement emerged out of a mass meeting and consolidation by hundreds of trade union representatives held today at the Youth Social Development Building in Jombang, East Java.

Amanda Ferdina, Jakarta – Six protest actions are scheduled to mark the start of the week in Jakarta and surrounding areas. The mass actions will take place both in the morning and afternoon, so watch out for traffic jams.

Nograhany Widhi K., Jakarta – On Monday May 18, 10 separate demonstrations will ‘besiege’ Jakarta. Five of the demonstrations will be held at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta at 9am, so pay close attention to your route so as not to get caught in traffic.

Adi Warsidi, Banda Aceh – Journalists in the Aceh provincial capital of Banda Aceh also took to the streets to commemorate International Labour Day on Friday May 1.

Muchus Budi R., Solo – Labour Day, May 1, was commemorated in a number of cities and in various ways. In the Central Java city of Solo, scores of workers from the Solidarity Trade Union Federation (FSBSK) held a ‘squatting’ action to symbolise the oppression of workers, including domestic workers.

Muh Syaifullah, Yogyakarta – Workers and employees in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta used May Day to demand an eight-hour working day saying that workers in shopping centres are forced to work much longer than this.

Depok – In the lead up to the commemoration of International Labour Day or May Day, the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) and the Greater Jakarta Railway Workers Trade Union (SPKAJ) are planning massive actions in Jakarta on May 1.

Jakarta – The increasing use of contract labour is undermining the strength of national trade unions and making it difficult for workers to struggle for decent working conditions.

Palembang – The impact of the global crisis continues to claim victims around the country as more workers are laid off. In South Sumatra for example, between mid 2008 and early 2009 as many as 2,000 workers have been sent home (temporarily laid off) or dismissed.

Zely Ariane – In July 2008, Barrack Obama, now the United State’s new president elect said: “If someone launches a rocket at my home while my two sons are sleeping, then I would make every effort to put an end to them, and I hope that the Israeli people would also do the same” (www.Solidarity-US.org).

Aprizal Rahmatullah, Jakarta – It is as if Jakarta is never free from the bustle of protest actions. Today, seven groups of demonstrators are ready to enliven the capital with the potential to create traffic congestion.

Jakarta – The threat of a wave of dismissals as a consequence of the global crisis is beginning to be concretely felt by the manufacturing sector. As of Thursday November 20, the government has received requests from several companies that plan to dismiss 12,600 workers and lay of at least 1,200 more.

Hadi Santoso, Jakarta – The retreat of key cadres to other parties has left the Labour Party overwhelmed in its attempts to compose a list of legislative candidates.

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.